THE  LIBRARY 
OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


STANZA   AND    SEQUEL 


OTHER     POEMS. 


AELLA      GREENE, 


AUTHOR      OF 


' Rhymes  of  Yankee  Land"  and  "Into  the  Sunshine? 


PUBLISHED  IN  1884. 


COPYRIGHT,  1883, 

BY 
AELLA    GREENE. 


CLARK    W.     BRYAN     &     COMPANY, 

ELECTROTYPKRS,     PRINTERS    AND    BINDERS, 

HOLYOKE,     MARS. 


CONTENTS. 


Page 
STANZA  AND  SEQUEL, 13-101 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

"WHERE  THE  NOBLE  HAVE  THEIR  COUNTRY."    105 
"BRIGHT  ON  YOUR  NATIVE   HILLS."  .       106 

"SHE  PLACED  THE  BITTER-SWEET."  108 

ALWAYS  WITH  THEE no 

THROUGH  GRIEF .in 

"  Too  MANY  HEARTS  ARE  SAD  TO-NIGHT."    .       113 
BLESSINGS  FOR  THE  HELPFUL.        .         .         .       114 

THE  FORTY-SECOND 115 

THE  CRITICS. .117 

THE  RETORT. 118 

REMINISCENCES — ESQUIRE  SMITH  AND 

OTHERS 119-142 


£3065 

UBRJUtt 


WORDS  THAT  WERE  MEANT. 


REV.  A.  C.  SEW  ALL,  Williamstown,  Mass. : 

Dear  Sir : — If  any  should  ask,  you  may  inform  them  that  you  have 
not  been  consulted  in  reference  to  my  alluding,  thus  publicly,  to  your 
words  of  cordial  appreciation  of  my  rhythmic  work,  words  that  came 
independent  of  the  commendations  of  President  Hopkins,  Henry  W. 
Longfellow  and  Josiah  Gilbert  Holland,  and  before  that  other  seer 
and  saint,'  John  Greenleaf  Whittier,  and  the  present  Irving  of  our 
country,  Mr.  Warner,  had,  unapprised  of  the  opinions  of  others, 
honored  specimens  that  work  with  their  "well  done."  Your  words 
and  theirs,  with  more  that  followed  from  yourself  and  others,  still  glow 
with  the  lustre  of  that  gem-like  sincerity  which  leads  to  the  belief  that 
you  and  they  intended  even  the  high  praise  those  words  express,  and 
aids  the  determination  to  despise  flatteries  and  endure  the  harshness 
and  prosiness  of  the  Gradgrinds  of  earth! 

Congratulating  you  on  living  in  a  town  blessed  with  the  personal 
presence  of  the  majestic  Hopkins  and  fragrant  with  the  memories 
of  the  school-days  of  his  illustrious  disciple,  James  A.  Garfield,  and 
wishing  you  success  in  the  work  of  your  sacred  calling,  I  am,  with 
grateful  acknowledgments  to  those  whose  hearty  recognitions  have 
cheered  me, 

Always  Yours  Truly, 

AELLA  GREENE. 
SPRINGFIELD,  MASS.,  November,  1883. 


The  originals  of  but  few  of  the  characters  in  "  Rhymes  of 
Yankee  Land,"  Mr.  Greene's  first  book,  have  been  ascertained ;  but 
it  is  thought,  that,  in  penning  the  stanzas  in  reference  to  the 
enterprise  of  New  Englanders  at  the  West,  the  writer  must  have 
had  in  mind  the  career,  then  just  beginning,  of  Hon.  Francis 
E.  Warren  of  Wyoming,  one  of  the  most  enterprising  young 
men  Berkshire  county,  Mass.,  ever  sent  to  the  outer  world. — 
Bellmus  Falls  (  Vt.)  Times. 


IN    REMEMBRANCE    OF 


FRIENDS   AT    METAWAMPE; 


AND     OTHERS     ELSEWHERE, 


THIS    VOLUME 


RESPECTFULLY    INSCRIBED. 


ARGUMENT. 


At  the  opening  of  the  poem  appear  two  dramatis  persona,  the 
poets  Horatius  and  Ethelbert,  the  former  a  distinguished  son  of 
song  and  the  other  his  friend  who  bravely  endures  the  defeat  of 
his  ambitions  in  literature  and  his  "fate  unkind"  in  an  affair  of 
the  heart.  -  "  Responsive  to  the  summons "  of  Ethelbert,  Horatius 
visits  him  at  his  place  of  summer  sojourn,  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Housatonic  river,  in  Berkshire,  and,  to  cheer  him  in  his  griefs, 
compliments  him  for  his  heroism  in  bearing  them,  discourses  to  him 
of  the  singing  of  the  brooks,  with  which  that  lovely  region  is 
charmingly  resonant,  and 

"  When  rivulets  with  singing, 

Have  cheered  Ethelbert's  heart," 

takes  him,  in  imagination,  from  Berkshire  to  the  Connecticut  valley 
and  the  landscapes  "which  Metawampe  guards,"  and  in  which  is 
laid  the  scene  of  a  story  that  is  recited  by  Horatius,  with  the  hope 
that  it  prove  ominous  of  a  bright  future  for  Etlielbert.  The  narrative 
brings  to  date  the  eventful  career  of  the  hero  and  heroine,  Leon  and 
Lillian,  who  that  very  day  have  embarked  for  foreign  lands.  They 
however,  unexpectedly,  appear  on  the  scene,  and  following  the 
presentation  of  Ethelbert  to  the  newly  arrived,  there  is  "  revealing 
on  revealiiig,"  and  Horatius.  the  glad  beholder  of  the  early  fulfill- 


ARGUMENT. 

ment  of  his  own  prophecies,  in  the  unexpected  meeting  of  Ethelbert 
and  his  long  lost  friend  Estelle,  soon  joyfully  announces  to  Ethel 
bert  still  another  discovery,  in  which  the  latter  finds  that  a  forgotten 
act  of  his  has  become,  under  Providence,  and  through  the  faithful 
ness  of  the  heroine  Lillian  in  "following  her  intuitions"  and- 
" making  real  the  ideal,"  the  source  of  all  his  joy;  and  in  this 
discovery  the  reader  learns  the  reason  for  the  name  of  the  poem. 
Then  follows  an  allusion  to  a  feast  to  be  prepared  by  Lillian,  at 
the  suggestion  of  Leon,  "  to  mark  events  resulting  from  sentiments," 
and  the  poem  concludes  with  Leon's  suggesting  the  fitness  of  the 
nearing  October  for  the  wedding  of  the  reunited  lovers,  and  his 
invitation  to  them  to  accompany  Lillian  and  himself  as  they  shall 
go,  in  that  month, 

% 

"To  thread  the  glens  of  Scotland 

And  climb  the  Alpine  hight ; 
And  linger  in  the  castles 
That  rose  by  feudal  might." 


PROEM. 

If,  sore  discouraged  and  distressed, 
With  sorrows  and  with  cares  oppressed, 
And  sins  confessed,  and  unconfessed, 
And  every  ill, 

The  heart  were  struggling  for  relief, 
And  found  no  succor  from  its  grief, 
In  buoyant  trust,  and  bright  belief, — 
How  sad  the  earth  ! 

But  rules  reverse  of  these  obtain, 
Nor  mortal  suffered  yet  in  vain, 
A  trivial,  nor  the  largest  pain, 
Nor  ever  will. 

So  let  the  troubled  take  new  heart, 
Learn  well  of  suffering  the  art, 
Nor  shun  a  share  a  generous  part 
In  life's  good  griefs  ! 

The  saddest  his  of  all  estates, 
And  slave  is  he  to  dreadest  fates, 
And  farthest  he  from  heavenly  gates, 
Whom  doubt  doth  rule  ! 

But,  sad  one,  if  thou  triest  to  trust, 
In  spite  of  all  earth's  dark  and  dust, — 
Though  midst  them  living,  as  thou  must,- 
Thou  liv'st  above, — 


12  PROEM. 


Then  fiends  that  strive  shall  strive  in  vain 
Control  of  thy  good  soul  to  gain, 
And  Hope,  true  angel,  for  thee  deign 
Her  constant  aid. 

For  none  hath  God  the  tender  care 
He  ever  shows  for  those  who  bear 
Of  life's  worst  woes  abundant  share, 
Enduring  well. 

Enduring  gives  the  power  t'endure, 
With  skill  to  make  life  s  troubles  fewer. 
And  suffering  makes  the  sufferer  pure, — 
So  welcome  ill. 

Bright  after  clouds  there  comes  the  sun, 
Ar.d  sweetest  rest  when  work  is  done, 
True  peace  is  but  by  warring  won, — 
True  wealth  by  toil  ! 

How  blessed  is  the  bright  belief, 
That  joy  which  cometh  after  grief, 
Is  sweetest  joy,  and  is  not  brief, 
Like  other  joys  ! 

Inspiring,  grand  and  true  the  thought, 
That  bliss  by  bitter  trials  bought, 
Is  nearer  unto  heaven  than  aught 
On  earth  beside  1 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

Horatius. 

COMPANION   of   my  boyhood 
^— '     And   friend   of   all   my   years, 
Sublimely   well   enduring 

Woes   all   too   deep  for  tears ; 
Responsive   to   your    summons, 

I   come   to  share   your  grief, 
To   rhyme    in    reminiscence 

And   sing   a  bright   belief; 
Predicting  you   soon   finding 

The    dawn   succeed   the   night, 
If  thorns,   likewise   the   roses, 

And   after  wrong  the   right ! 

Away  from   scenes   of  traffic, 
Away  from   business   cares, 

In   which   you   toil   so   bravely 
To   kill   the   grief   that  wears, 

Only    to    find,    in    toiling, 
The   work  of   no  avail; 


14  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

You   come   to   ask   of   nature 
A   balm   that  will   not  fail. 

Among   the   Berkshire   mountains 
Where   nature  does   its   best 

To   aid   the   tired   and  grieving 
With   satisfying  rest, 

You   come,   my   loved    Ethelbert, 

Sighing   at   every  breath, 
Yet  glowing  with   high   purpose 

To   battle   to   the    death 
The   griefs   so  fiercely  gnawing 

The  heart  of  one  as  brave 
As  he,    all   uncomplaining, 

Imperiled   land  to   save, 
Who   risks  .amid   red   carnage, 

With   willingness,   his   life, 
And  joys   to  be   called   worthy 

To   perish   in   the   strife. 

This   excellence   of    patience 
Is   foretaste,   in   the  grief, 
Prophetic   of  fruition, 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  15 

Quick   after  the   belief, 
That,    tribulation   suffered, 

With   bravery   and   love, 
And   faith   that   says   the   Father 

Sends   trials   from   above, 
Grief's   fiends   shall   flee,    and   angels 

Unlock   the   gates   of   light 
And   usher   in   the   morning, 

To   follow   sorrow's   night. 


Ethelbert,   near   these   mountains 

The   hamlet   of  your   birth, 
That   seemed    to  you,    in   childhood, 

The  loveliest   spot  of  earth; 
Where   all   the   days   of  winter 

Were   happy   days   for  you, 
However  wild   the   drifting 

Of   snowy   storms   that  blew; 
And  happy  was   the   spring-time, 

And   days   of   summer  bloom 
Poured  joys   until   for   others 

Your  heart   had   not   the   room. 


1 6  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

When   fiercest   heat   was   over, 

And   on   the   pasture   hill 
The   steers,   rid   of  their  tackle, 

Were   left   to  feed   at  will ; 
And   orchards   bent  with   pippins 

Around   a  buckwheat   field 
That  gave   a  fragrant   promise 

Of   an   abundant  yield, 
Delightful  then  your  dreaming, 

As   August  waned   away, 
When  seemed  the  hours  half  summer, 

And   autumn,   still,   the   day. 


Then   mornings  all,   and  sunsets, 

To  you  were   choicest  gold, 
And   days   with  joys   were   brimming 

As   full   as  days   could   hold. 
Ah !    sweet   and   fairy  valley ! 

Where   birds   and   purling   streams, 
Cascades  and  hill-side    forests, 

Excelled  your  brightest   dreams; 
Where   poet  might   sing   sweetest, 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

With   scene    above    the   psalm 
Affording   hearts   the    saddest 
Sufficing   rest   and   balm. 

And,    still,    to   you,    'tis  fiction 

To   name   the   hamlet   blest, 
Though   there   began   your   being, 

And   there   your   kindred   rest ; 
And   there   your  days   were   halcyon 

With   skies   of  peaceful   hue, 
And   seemed   the   good   translated 

No   happier   than   you ! 
For   there,    a   little    later, 

The    sadness   must   begin, 
The   sweet   of   life   turn  bitter, 

Its   melody   be   din ; 

And   all    its  pleasant   castles 

Be   crumbled   into   dust ; 
And   this,   because   they   doubted 

Who   should   have   given    trust. 
Ah  well   do   I    remember, 


1 3  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

You  had   a   darkened   sky; 
My   angel   of  good   blessing, 

Appeared   to   pass  you   by. 
The   wreck   of  your   ambitions 

It   needeth   not   to   tell; 
For   all   the   doleful   story 

Your   sad   heart   knows   too   well. 


Ethelbert, 
Those   words    "  because  they  doubted 

Who  should  have  given   trust!" 
O   doubt,   that   quenches   morning! 

O   doubt,   to   gold  the  rust ! 
Was   ever  soul   in   sadness 

But   through   another's   doubt? 
Was   ever  soul   defeated, 

Suspicion   caused   the   rout! 


Horatius. 

Not   winning   in   your   wooing 
Nor   famous   for  your   pen, 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  19 

You   still   kept  faith   in   heaven, 

Though  losing  faith   in   men ; 
And   still   lived   ever  noble, 

Or  was   it  day,   or   dark, 
Your  god   appeased   or  frowning, 

A  raven   or  a   lark, 
Your  bird ;    and   now,    slow   starving 

For  joys   of  love,   yet  strong; 
Sad,    almost   unto   dying, 

Yet,   patient   under  wrong ! 


Ethelbert. 
Fit   praises   thine   for   heroes ; 

Too   high   for  men   like   me, 
My   heart   must   still    accept   them 

For  their  sincerity. 
And  thanking  thee   for   giving 

The   trust   I   needed   long 
From   others   than   Horatius, 

I    ask   of  him   a   song ; 
His   own   sweet,   soul-felt,    singing, 


20  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

To   keep   the   hope   alive, 
Which   he,    in   tune   with   nature, 
Has   made    again   revive. 


Horatius. 

The    sweetest   songsters   carol, 

Among   these    Berkshire    hills, 
In   harmony   with   music 

Arising  from   the  rills 
That   flow   with   silvery   murmur, 

In   melody  along, 
And   charm    as   if  in   heaven 

They   learned   the    art   of   song, 
And  were   by   Him   empowered 

Who   formed   the   starry   spheres 
And   guides   their   rhythmic   motion 

Through   all    the    circling  years. 

Bright   brooks !    they    came   from   heaven, 

To   teach   the  tuneful   art, 
And   woo    men   from   their   sorrows 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  21 

And   from  their   cares   apart ; 
To  teach   them   high   behavior, 

And   gentle   ways   and   true, 
Inspiring   them   with   courage 

To   light   life's   battles   through; 
The   while,   through   all   the   harshness 

That   gives   to   earth   its   ban, 
They   live    attuned   for   living 
.    Where   harmony   began. 


There    other  brooks,    in   chorus 

With   other   birds,    shall    sing, 
To  tell   the   power   and   goodness 

Of   the   Eternal    King; 
And   welcome    home  the    singers 

From   dissonance    of   time 
To   melodies   of    heaven 

And   zephyrs   of   the    clime, 
Where,   with   the   golden    city, 

Shall   be   the    pleasant   field ; 
The   tree   of   life   forever 

Its   healthful   fruitage   yield ; 


22  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

The   hillside    and   the   forest, 

And  rocky   glen,    be    there, 
And   highest   angel    escort 

Delight   to   give    their   care 
To   those   who  come   to   study, 

In    leisure    of   that   land, 
The  features   of   the   country 

Which  sin   has   never    banned. 
May  one    among   the    number 

Be   you   who   love   the    rills 
That   carol   like   the    songsters 

Among  these   restful   hills. 


When    rivulets   with   singing 

Have   cheered    Ethelbert's   heart 
"    May   angel   guide    attend   him, 

That,   when   he   hence   depart, 
He   journey   to   the   eastward, 

To   hills   that   poet   sung 
The   grandeur   of   whose    numbers 

Honors   our   English   tongue. 
Inhaling  rarest   zephyrs 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  23 

To   make  the   spirit   strong; 
With  feet   in   tune   with   cadence 
Of   Bryant's   noble   song, 

Which   thou   shalt   hear   repeated 

By   tuneful    brooks    and    birds, 
As   if  the   bard   walked   with   thee, 

To   speak   his  own  grand   words, 
Ascend   the   heights   o'erlooking 

The   homes   of    Cummington, 
Ensconced   below   the   hill-side 

Where    Bryant's   life   begun. 
When   thou  hast   done   due   worship 

Ascend   still   other   height, 
And   vale   of   rarest   beauty 

Shall   meet  thy   raptured   sight! 

There   sweet   a   shining   river 

Flows   singing   to   the   sea, 
And   purls   with   charming  cadence 

Where    smiling   landscapes   be, 
Gemmed   bright   with    pleasant    mansions, 


24  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

In   form   and   look   that   seem 
The    counterpart   of   castles 

That   fill   youth's   brightest   dream. 
There,    sentineled   by  mountains, 

The   vale   its   verdure    spreads, 
When,    cheering   after   winter, 

The    May   sun   radiance   sheds ; 

And   orange,    flame    and   crimson, 

And   wealth   of   dun    and    gold 
The    hardy   mountain   beeches 

And   valley   maples   hold, 
When   frost   and    autumn    sunshine 

Their    chemistry   have    done, 
In    glorious   competition 

Of  work   the    spring   begun  ; 
And   there,   within   that   valley, 

In   other   days,    a   scene 
That  fills   with   choicest   fragrance 

The   years   that   intervene. 

That   lovely   scene  shall  ever 
The    river,   glade,    and   glen 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  25 

Invest   with   charms   of   romance, 

And   witness   unto   men 
The   bravery   of   a   maiden, 

Who    so   could   say   "forgive," 
That   one   whom   she   deserted     . 

Bade    the    repentant   live, 
And   be   his  inspiration, 

A   consort   and  a   mate  ; 
A   token   that   kind   heaven 

Would   help   him   conquer  fate. 

And   ne'er   did   lordly   courtier, 

The   bravest   and   the    best, 
On  love's   ennobling   errand, 

From   royal   halls,    in    quest 
Of  one   to   match   the   visions 

With   which   the   gods   inspire, 
Who   with   celestial    courage 

The   manly   bosom   fire, 
To   do   the   grandest   wooing, 

Find   such   transcendent  worth 
As   crowns   the  name   of   Lillian 

The   brightest   of   the    earth! 


26  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

Thy   loveliness,    sweet   valley, 

Which   Metawampe  guards, 
Hath   now  especial   meaning 

Above   the   song  of  bards. 
Dear  vale !   whose   faithful   maiden 

Rebelled    against   her   kin, 
Until   they   bade   him   welcome 

Who   sought  her  heart  to  \vin 
That   maiden's   ways   heroic 

Have   made    the    sunrise    shore 
Of  thy   majestic   river 

Inspiring   evermore  ; 


The    fairy-land    where    angels 

Attend   when   lovers   wait 
And   aid   the   thoughts  surpassing 

All   else   however  great ; 
While   happy   faces,    mirrored, 

Reflect   the   thoughts  of  love 
Aglow   upon   the   features 

Of   each   glad    face,    above 
The    kindly   waters,   reading, 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  2J 

In   limpid   river   blue, 
That   each   heart  loves   the   other, 
And   will   for   life   be   true. 

Land   of   the   sweet   romances ! 

Therein,   the   legends   say, 
Bright   ministrants   of   heaven, 

On   silver   nights   of    May, 
Expectant   in    an   arbor, 

Wait  with   the   words   that   save 
From   cowardice   the   lover 

And   make   the   maiden   brave ; 
And   when   the   pledge   is   spoken 

To   crown   love's   high  emprise, 
They  soar  from   Metawampe, 

To   tell   the   waiting  skies  ! 


In   honor   of   the   maiden 

Who,    quenching  one  heart's   hell, 
For  two   hearts   made    earth,   heaven, 

The  scene   he   bids   me   tell 
I   sing,   to   cheer   Ethelbert, 


28  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

To   whom   a  fate   unkind, 
Anent   the   noble   passion; 

And  if  Ethelbert  find 
The   scene  at   Metawampe 

To   him   good   omen  brings, 
Thrice   happy  his   companion 

Of   Metawampe    sings  : 


While   cheering   light 
Of  morning  bright 
O'er  eastern    height  is   glowing, 

And   choicest   flowers 
In  any  bowers 
Or   any  landscape   growing, 

Their   sweets   exhale, 
To  fill   the   gale 
Soft   on   the   valley    blowing, 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  29 

Thou   sweetest   bird 
Mine   ears   have   heard, 
Whose   liquid   music,  flowing, 

Hath   magic   charms 
To   still   alarms, 
The   sweetest   peace   bestowing, 

On   fleetest   wing 
Fly   thou,    and  sing, 
To   cheer   a   brave   heart   bearing 

A   load   of  grief 
Beyond   belief, 
Beyond    an    angel's  daring; 

Though   worn    and   faint, 
Giving   no    plaint, 
But   brave   on   life's    road   faring; 

Through  griefs,   discreet, 
With   spirit   sweet, 
Well   worth   an   angel's   sharing. 


30  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

Sing,   bird   of  cheer ! 
So   he   shall   hear 
Above   earth's  loudest  blaring; 

And   sing   again 
To   cheer   him,   when 
Noon's  fervid  heats   are   burning; 

Assure   him   well 
That   thou  wilt   tell, 
Ere   next   the   noon's   returning, 

In   thy   best   tune, 
That   some   sweet  boon 
Shall  soothe   the   plaintive   yearning 

Of  his   sad   heart, 
As   he,    the   art 
*       Of  grand  endurance   learning, 

Seeks   only  joy 
Which  doth  not  cloy, 
All   vain   enjoyment   spurning. 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  3 1 

Then,   sweetest   bird 
Mine   ears   have  heard, 
When   sunset's   wealth   is   streaming, 

In   western   skies, 
To  glad   the   eyes 
And   set  the  spirit   dreaming 

Of   Ind   of  old 
'  Or   towers   of   gold 
With  heavenly   splendors   beaming, 

Sing  once    again, 
And   tell    him   when, 
Thy   pledge    in   truth  redeeming, 

Thou   bringest   joy, 
It    shall    not   cloy 
Nor   be   less   than   its   seeming ! 


The   world   to   bless 
With   his   success, 
By   grand   impulses   driven, 


32  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

Leon    to   art 
His    head   and   heart, 
Through   toilsome   years,    had   given; 

9 

To   win   a   name 
And   merit   fame, 
Most   manfully   had   striven; 

Not   thought   of   ease. 
Nor  wish   to   please, 

From   purpose   firm   unnerving ; 

•* 

And   painted   well 
Both   flood    and   fell, 
A   high   reward    deserving. 

But   Fashion   bold, 
By   threats   and  gold, 
The   coward   critics   swerving, 

They   named   him  cheap, 
And   much   and  deep 
They   planned   to   shame   and  grieve   him. 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  33 

And    Fashion's   queen, 
High   in   her  spleen, 
Induced  that  one  to  leave  him 

Who   vowed,   by   skies 
And   stars,   to   prize 
And   never   to   deceive   him. 

For  fiat  dread 
By   Fashion   said 
Receives   a   quick   obeying, 

Though   Fashion   ask 
Laborious  task, 
Or  even   ask   the   slaying 

Of  sweetest   dove 
The   God   of  love 
E'er  sent   to   earth,   conveying 

A   message    down, 
With   joy   to   crown 
Two   hearts   their  pledges   saying. 


34  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

To   whim   accursed, 
By   mother  nursed, 
Who   hoped   her   Lillian  mating 

With  one   of  fame 
Who   had,   with   name, 
The   wealth  for  finest  feting ; 

The   wealth   to   blaze 
Through  golden   days 
To   her  own   fullest   sating, — 

To   whim   accursed 
By   mother   nursed 
Who   managed   the  alliance, 

Fair   Lillian   said 
She   would   not  wed 
But   disregard  affiance, 

From   Leon    turn, 
Who   soon   would   learn, 
Her  own   act   scarce   regretting, 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

In  other  face 
His  hope  to  trace, 
His   first  love   soon   forgetting. 

This   noble   girl, 
For   Fashion's   whirl 
By  mother  false   intended, 

In   traits   and   lore 
Resembled   more 
The   father   long   ascended. 

And  when   she  died 
Who   thus  belied, 
The   motherless,  though  weeping, 

Found   still   a  voice 
That  could   rejoice 
In  freedom  from   that  keeping. 

Love's   longing  then, 
And   inner   ken 
Was   quickened   to   discerning 


36  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

What  great   mistake 
The   heart   must   make 
When   from   its   true   mate   turning. 

Her  guardian   kin 
Vowed   it   "  high   sin 
That   Lillian   should   love   him. 

"  Wretch,   who   pretends ! 
For  we,   her   friends, 
Are   socially   above   him !" 

Grew   Lillian   brave ; 
No   longer   slave 
To   Fashion's   bold   commanding, 

She   valued   worth 
More   than  high   birth 
And   more   than   social  standing. 

One   saddened   year 
She   rambled  here, 
And   homeward   when   returning 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  37 

She   dared   to   say, 
"Their   cruel   sway 
Henceforward   firmly   spurning, 

"  Some   day   I'll   wed 
Him   whom    I    said, 
In   answer   to   his   pleading, 

"  From  me   should   go. 
Ah   day   of   woe ! 
When    I,    in   that   false   leading 

"  Subservient  kept, 
As   Leon   wept, 
Could   crush  his   heart   to   bleeding!" 


The   morn   returns 
And   kindly   burns, 
Its   silver  splendors   playing 


38  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

On   eastern  hills, 
Whence   happy   rills, 
The   river's   call   obeying, 

Flowed   singing   sweet, 
In   vale   to   greet, 
When   first   the   murk   was   graying, 

One   breaking   rest, 
To   come   in   quest, 
Ere   children   came   for   Maying, 

Of  choicest  flowers, 
In   field    and   bowers 
So   sweet   that   angels    straying 

To  earth,   to  ken 
The   ways   of  men, 
Therein   protract   their   staying. 

The   bloom   to  get, 
And   hoping,  yet, 
Angels,   this   morning,   tarry, 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  39 


She    comes   to   pray 
They   right   words   say, 
That  she   the   words   may  carry. 

When   she   shall   go, 
E're   noontide  glow, 
To  cheer   a  heart   so  chary 

She   must   be   brave 
Who   thinks   to   save, 
And  gentle   as   a  fairy, 

With   right   address, 
Who  seeks   to   bless 
The   one   from   griefs   so  wary 

He   would   suspect, 
In   friend   direct, 
A  foe,   and   quickly  parry 

Faith's   very   deed 
His   heart   should   need 
To   lift   him   from   his   grieving 


40  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

At   words   she   sent 
And  would   repent, 
With   tears   and   full   retrieving. 

Thus   she   relates; 
In   arbor  waits 
Angelic   one,   receiving, 

Through  perfumed   air, 
Her  earnest   prayer, 
And   then,   a   message   leaving, 

Toward   the   skies 
Doth  grandly   rise, 
His   way  with   bright   wing   cleaving. 

The    angel   flown; 
And   when   alone, 
The   flowers   with   laurel  twining, 

Their  truth   to  tell, 
Doth   Lillian    dwell 
Glad   on  his   words,   designing 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  41 

Those   words   to   heed, 
When  she  shall   read, 
Their   truth   in   full   divining. 

And,   dulcet  one, 
At  yester   sun, 
Whom    I   heard   joyful   flinging 

Thy  carols   high, 
From   earth   to   sky, 
As   welcome   message   bringing, 

Fly  speeding  back 
Thine  azure   track 
To   him  whose   grief  is  clinging, 

A  bird   austere, 
Raven   of  fear, — 
But   it   shall   flee    thy  singing. 

Bird   of  sweet   song, 
Fly   swift   along, 
And   fly   with   bravest   winging 


\2  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

Of  bird   whose   word 
Might   be    inferred 
Would   set   these   bright  hours   ringing! 

As   breaks   the   day, 
Bird,   speed   away, 
And   herald   her  whose   cheering 

His   heart   shall   reach, 
And  winsome   teach, 
And   aid   to   cease   his   fearing. 

Now   to   his    eyes 
What   glad   surprise ! 
Is   angel   form   appearing? 

Doth  most   it  seem 
Or  true   or  dream? 
A  maiden   bravely   nearing! 

And   her  whose   doubt 
Had  cast   him  out, 
What   time   the   critics,   sneering, 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  43 

Increased   the   need 
Of   kindly  deed 
And   brave   words,    and   endearing! 

And   doth   she   bow? 
Denouement  now ! 
Though  tremulous   with   feeling 

She   hath  no   song, 
Till   for  her  wrong, 
Her  sad   heart  full   revealing, 

Before   the   man 
Whom   she   gave  ban, 
She   bows   in   humblest  kneeling, 

Pouring  her  tears, 
Pale   with   her  fears 
And   most   sincerely   praying : 

"For  wrong   to   thee 
Wilt   pardon   me, 
Who   merit   but   thy   saying 


44  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

"  I   haste   away  ? 
If  that  thou   say, 
Mine   be   the   sad   obeying." 

And   Leon,    now : 
"That   some   should   vow 
And   plot   their  worst   to   hurt  me, 

"  It  was   not   strange  ; 

But   that  thou   change 

And   cruelly   desert  me, — 

"  The   cup  of  woe  ! 
It  saddened   so 
As   almost   to   convert   me 

"From   buoyant   mind, 
To  faith   inclined, 
To   doubt's   extremest   madness ; 

"That  who   decreed 
My   art  should  lead 
To  grandest   heights   of  gladness 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

"Thy   happy  heart, 
Should   act   the   part 
To   fill   my  heart   with   sadness,- 

"Ah!    bitter  fate! 
Most   sad   estate ! 
But  I   have   seen   thy   sorrow. 

"Thou   askest  me 
To   pardon   thee, 
Nor  future  moments  borrow; 

"  But   sayest   condign, 
If   I    incline 
To   wait   till   some   to-morrow. 

"The   time   is   now 
While   thou   dost  bow; 
And  here,  this   hand   extending, 

"I   bid  thee  rise 
And  see   the  skies 
Benign   above  us   bending. 


46  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

"Their   peaceful   blue, 
With  golden   hue 
Of  early  sunbeams  blending, 

"And   pleasant  breeze 
In   budding   trees 
Yon  happy  hills   adorning; 

"And  waterfall, 
And  bird,   and  all 
The   melody   of  morning, 

"Bid  thy  hope   live, 
When   thou   dost  give 
Thy  worship  for   thy   scorning!" 

Brave   in   her  tears, 
Brave   through   her  fears, 
And  brave  when   came   his  blessing; 

Before   him  brave 
Who   pardon   gave 
Full   as   her  grand   confessing, 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

Doth   Lillian   true 
Give   honor  due, 
Brave   Leon   thus   addressing : 

"  Thou   truest   man 
Since   time   began, 
And   truest   of  the   living, 

"  My   joy  how  great, 
When   fit   thy   hate, 
I   have   thy   full    forgiving ! " 

No  need  to   dwell 
And   frigid   tell 
Of  every   day   he   missed   her, 

Since   morning  gray 
Of   that   sad   day, 
The   last   day  that  he   kissed   her. 

One   word   to   say, 
Her  bravest   way 
With   love   his   spirit  firing. 


48  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

That   one   word  "  Come  ! " 
With   him   at   home, 
This  is   her   song   inspiring; 

"  Supremest  bliss ! 
From   thee   a  kiss — 
Thy  love   with  my  relenting! 

"  Safe   in   thy   arms, 
Thy   soul's   high  charms 
To   pay  for  my   repenting! 

"Wilt   thou  my   lead 
Across  the  mead, 
To   bower  yon   pleasant  glade  in, 

"That   I   may   tell, 
In   that   dear   dell, 
The  message  first  essayed  in 

"The   charming  place 

"  Where  heaven   gave   grace, 

When   earnest   I   had   prayed   in 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  49 

"  The   happy  bower 
Of  winged   power, 
The   bower  the   angel   stayed   in 

"Who   spoke   the   words 
That   sing   like   birds, 
To   cheer  the   heart   of  maiden, 

."  Who  leadeth  there, 
With  tender  care, 
Leon  with  laurel   laden  ? " 


For  him   but   shame, 
Whate'er  his   name, 
Whose   dark   soul   must    discover 

A   snake   beneath 
The   maiden's  wreath 
Wherewith   she   crowns   her   lover  1 


50  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

Her  tender  talk 
On   that   sweet  walk 
O'er  which  the.   angels   hover, 

Words  from  a   heart 
From   sin   apart 
As  white-robed  hosts   above  her, — 

Who   evil   sees 
In   joys   like    these, 
And   pours   his   righteous   spurning,— 

Who   thinks   a  knave, 
Or  foolish  slave, 
The   suitor  patient   learning 

Love's   art,  which  few 
Give   study   due, 
And   laughs   at   love's   deep  yearning,- 

>  Count  him   near  hell, 

Where'er  he    dwell, 
A   hell  within   him   burning ! 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

The  sweetest  word 
Earth  ever  heard, 
How   some   delight   to   sneer  it! 

Sweet  word  of  love  ! 
From  joys   above 
The   angels   come   to   hear  it! 

And   poise    in   air, 
With   choicest   care, 
To   hear   the   song,    as   near  it 

As   doth   behoove 
Those   come   to  prove 
When   others'   vows   endear  it, 

And   heavenly  grace 
Illumes   the   face 
As   love   from  grief   doth   clear  it, 

And   throbs   the   heart 
As   love's   quick    art 
Rids   of   the   doubts   that   sear   it! 


52  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

How   grand   the    truth, 
Love   giveth   youth 
To   him   who   knows   its   meaning ! 

To   him   the    sands 
Of   desert   lands, 
With   flowers   and   grasses   greening, 

Are   fresh   with   gales 
In   which   joy   sails 
Have   happiest   careening 

On   sparkling    springs, 
O'er   which  bright   wings, 
In   happy  host   convening. 

Pour   gladdest   song 
The   hours   along, 
Their   music   grandly   swelling, 

Minstrelsy  sweet, 
For  heaven   meet, 
As   birds   a  bliss   were   telling 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  53 

Above   the  worth 
Of  joys   of  earth, 
Their   song   the   thought   compelling, 

Each   songster's  ear 
Did   anthem  hear 
Of   those    in   Eden   dwelling! 

Ethelbert. 
Exquisite    song,   Horatius, 

Of  joys    I    have    not   known ; 
The   music   of  thy   numbers 

The    sadness   shall    atone, 
Or   lessen   it,    and    aid   me 

To   wish,   for   others,    bliss; 
And   if   it   make   unselfish, 

High   worth   in    song   like   this. 

Horatius. 

Though   none   have  heard 
What**  angel   word, 
By   Lillian's   lips   repeated, 


54  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

To   Leon  gave 
Power  to   be   brave, 
Nor  saw   the   kisses   meted 

That   told   their  love, 
Thou   bird   above 
The   bower  where   they   are  seated 

Dost   sing  to   tell 
How  fit   and   well, 
At   Metawampe,   greeted 

The   fair   and   strong ; 
And    'twas   thy   song 
That   aided   Leon's   wooing, 

And   taught   that   best 
Is   bravest   quest 
In    any   kind   of   suing. 

Soar   not   away, 
But   longer   stay, 
Thou   bird  of   bravest   winging; 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  55 


With   roundelay 
Still   cheer  the  day, 
Thou   bird   of  sweetest   singing. 

Thy  gentle   eyes 
Are   fit   to   prize 
The   sacred   ties 
Declared   by  their   caresses, — 

Him  wreath-entwined ; 
Her  head  reclined, 
As   heaven   designed, 
Upon   the  heart   she   blesses ; 

She  gazing  sweet 
To   eyes   that   greet 
The  orbs   they  meet 
With   richest   lustre,   beaming 

From   eyes   of  dove, 
To   speak   his   love 
For  her,    above 

All   others,    lovely   seeming 


5  5  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

To   him   addressed, 
By   her  he   blessed, 
"  As,    noblest,   best, 
Beyond   her  fancy's   dreaming !" 


My   friend,    'tis   worst 

That  ever  burst 

From   lips   accursed ! 
The   lie   by   cowards    stammered ; 

By  fools,   who   prate, 

Love   is   a  fate 

To  enervate. 

The  man  with  soul  enamored 
Of  soul  worth,  and  attracting, 
By  his  majestic  acting 

And   equipoise, 

One   who   employs 

The   high   decoys 
Of  maiden's   choice  designing, 
Whose  soul,    his  worth   divining, 
Attracts   his   soul,   fcr   twining 

Love's   tendrils   strong, — 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

To   him   belong, 

Above    my   song, 
Congratulations   grandest. 
And    thou   who   understandest 
Such   joys,   by   not   possessing 
The   unspeakable  blessing 
Of   love's   returned   caressing; 

Ethelbert,   tell 
•  Me   thou   wilt  well, 

Until   life's   close, 

Endure   thy   woes ! 

That   other   ban 

Of  mortal   man, 

That  fate   the   worst 

That  ever   cursed 
For   cowardice   in   suing, 
For   treachery   in   wooing, 
For   any   wrongful   doing; 
Or   came   to   heart   despairing 
Of   ever   rightly    pairing, 
And    wedding,    so,   uncaring; 

That   fate   he   wins 

Whose   heart   begins 


58  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

The   married  life   unmated — 

That   thou   art   not   thus   fated, 

Thou   art   congratulated. 

Of   all   woes   this   life   giveth, 

His  worst  who   wedded  liveth 

With   one   his   worth    unknowing, 

Whose    soul,   nor  grand   nor  growing, 

Pretends,    as   such  will,   ever, 

Each   manliest,   best   endeavor 

To   think    and   live    sublimely 

A   rash   act   and   untimely, 

The   proof  of   cheap   vanity, 

Or   sign   of   insanity! 

Truth   all   too   little    rated, 

'Tis   hell   to   wed   unmated! 

But   blest   the   man 

Whom    Lillian, 

By   angel   plan, 

Shall   save   from   ban. 

Ethelbert, 

Thou   speakest  well,    Horatius; 
Wilt   thou   thy  theme   pursue? 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  59 

And   with   the   heavens   to  favor, 
Thy   comrade   will   live   true. 

Horatius. 

With  gentle   hand, 
In   fairy-land, 
To   thoughts   sublime   she   led  him; 

With   grandest   views, 
And   nectar   dews, 
And   heavenly  fruitage,   fed   him; 

From   field   and   sky 
And   mountain   high 
Inspiring   lessons   read   him ; 

With   tender   art, 
From   her  true  heart, 
A   sincere   promise   said   him; 

Naming   a   day, 
A   month    away, 
A   happy   day   to   wed   him — 


60  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

A   day  that   came 
With   sweetest  flame 
The    Orient   ever   lighted, 

To   signalize 
The   golden   ties 
Of   loving   hearts   united; 

Day   sweet   with   airs 
That  banished  cares 
And   to   high   thoughts   incited ; 

Day   spanned   with   blue, 
The   whole   day   through, 
As   if   all   wrongs  were  righted, 

And   sang   the    lark 
Till   all   birds  dark 
Had   flown   from   earth   affrighted ! 

At   morning   hour, 
In    Lillian's   bower, 
With   chosen   friends   attending, 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  6 1 

Two   clasping   hands, 
To   speak   the   bands 
Their   lives   in   union   blending! 

While   hovering   nigh, 
From    amber   sky, 
Are   angel  harpers   waiting, 

-With   high   delight 
In   holy   rite 
In   which   two   hearts    are    mating. 

The   service   done, 
The    surpliced   one 
In   fitting  words   addressed   them ; 

Calm   in   his   bliss 
Leon   gave   kiss, 
And   kith    and   kindred  blessed  them ; 

While   brooks   kept   tune 
With   birds   of  June, 
Mid   apple   blossoms    seated, 


62  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

And   birds   from   perch 
Of  beech   and   birch 
The   lovely   Lillian  greeted, 

And   rose   acclaim 

To   Leon's   name, 

At   Metawampe  meted, 

By  every  voice 
That   could  rejoice  ; 
And  flowers   the   choicest  growing, 

The   twain   to  greet, 
Sent   odors   sweet 
By  every  zephyr  blowing. 


Ethdbert. 
Ennobling,   still,  the   anguish 

That   must  be   mine   when   told, 
Wherein,   for  me   were    ashes, 

Others   found   shining   gold. 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  63 

Horatius. 

Twelve   months,   the   morn 
A   child   is    born, 
The   gods   to   earth   consigning 

A   lovely  boy, 
Sweet   pledge   of  joy, 
The   graces   well  combining 

Of   him   who  heard 
The    singing   bird, 
And   her   love's   wreath   entwining. 

Benign   their   sky, 
As   years   go   by, 
Each   marked   with   heaven's   blessing, 

And   dawns   the    day, 
Sweet   in   the    May, 
When   angels  come  confessing, 

To   parents    blessed 
With   baby  guest, 
That   angel,    in   caressing 


64  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

Her  cherry   lips, 
The   nectar   sips 
Finer   than   that  provided, 

From  sweetest  flowers 
Of  heaven's   bowers, 
For  gods   when   they   decided 

The   questions   great 
In   human  fate, 
By  Jove   to   them  confided. 


Their  love   kept   new, 
For   each   soul   grew, 
And   each   the   other   aided 

Right   things   to   know, 
To   help   each  grow, 
And   love's   rose   never   faded. 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  65 

Each   soul,   each   hour, 
Increased   in   power, 
Each  by   the   other's   doing, 

And  each  by   own 
In   grace  was   grown  ; 
Their   love   each   day  renewing, 

Because,    each    day, 
Each   soul    could   say, 
My   soul's   mate   still   is   growing, 

My   soul   to   prove 
With   noblest  love, 
Affection   worth  bestowing. 


Ethelbert. 
What   words    are   thine,    Horatius: 

"Their  love  kept   new, 

For  each   soul  grew, 
And  each   the  other  aided 


66  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

"Right  things  to  know, 
To  help   each  grow, 
And  love's  rose  never  faded!" 

Horatius. 

Their   honeymoon 
Did   not   end   soon, — 
In  truth   it   never  ended. 

By   Lillian   traced 
With  finest  taste, 
In  love's  own  picture  blended, 

As   Leon's   due, 
Her   soul's   rich   hue, 
To  bless  the  man   she  mated; 

To   whom   there   came 
Abundant   fame, 
And   he,   as   artist    feted, 

Still   painted  well 
Both   flood   and   fell, 
Nor  heeded   critics   serving 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

Their  lavish   praise ; 
Their  proffered   bays, 
Nor  aiding  nor  unnerving, 

Reminded   yet 
Of  venomed   threat, 
The  fullest  scorn   deserving. 

Their  biting   sneers 
Of  other  years, 
With   present  praise,   neglecting, 

With  verve   and   heart 
He   plied   his   art ; 
Some   heavenly  guide   directing 

His   paintings   made 
Of  highest  grade ; 
And  for  the   full   perfecting 

Of  noblest  one 
His   hand   begun, 
He   came,   the   canvas   bringing, 


68  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

From   distant  town  ; 
And  where   came   down 
The   angel,   and   the    singing 

Of   sweetest    bird 
He   ever  heard, 
To   aid   him,    still   seemed   ringing 

From   every  bird 
That   now  he  heard 
Their  happy  carols    flinging, 

Made   it   complete , 
In   arbor  sweet, 
Where   pleasant   sunbeams   strayed   in, 

And  glinted    round 
The  grassy  ground 
Of  bower  two   children   played  in: 

While   happy  there, 
In   sweet   May   air, 
The   mother,   erst   the    maiden, 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

Recalled   the   day 
She   came   to   pray 
In   bower  the   angels   stayed   in. 

Then   choicest   flowers 
From   field   and   bowers, 
The   advent   there   divining, 

Fair   maidens   bring, 
And    sweetly   sing, 
On    Lillian's   brow   entwining 

Arbutus   bloom 
With   rare  perfume, 
The   best   of   heaven's    designing. 

Sweet  breath   of  praise 
To   God   for   rays 
From   solar  fountain   shining ! 

Yet   speaks   it   more 
Of   scene    of   yore 
Whose    influence,    refining, 


70  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

Shall   teach  to  know 
High   meanings   glow 
On   shore   and   shining  river; 

Shall   teach   to   read 
That   wave   and  mead 
Reflect  the   Heavenly  Giver, 

Whose   lovely  earth 
Hath  greater  worth 
Than   that   it   seems   possessing; 

A  hidden   good, 

Well   understood 

By   thoughtful   minds,    and  blessing 
\ 

Who   would   discern, 

With   power  to  learn, 
The   truths   their  souls   addressing 

In   all   things   made, 
Of  every  grade  ; 
From   spray   of   tiny   fountain 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

To   surging   sea ; 
From   wind-swayed  tree 
To   storm-defying   mountain  ! 

Ethelbert. 
The   truth   in   thy   sweet   singing 

I   love   to   hear   thee    tell. 
The   present    of  thy   heroes  ? 

Thou   must  have   known   them   well. 

Horatius. 
A  year  to   stray, 
Embark   to-day 
The   two  so   nobly  mated. 

Kind   be   the   gale 
That   fills   the   sail 
Of  ship  so  grandly  freighted. 

Zephyr   that   fanned 
The   fairy-land 
Where   Leon   won   his   blessing ; 


72  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

• 

Benignant  breeze, 
Seek   thou   the  seas, 
The  good   ship   caressing 

That   it  behave 
Faithfully   brave, 
The   roughest   waves   defeating; 

Avoiding   rocks, 
And   through   the   shocks 
Of  storms   in  safety  fleeting. 

And  breeze   the   best 
That   ever   blest 
A   wanderer  returning, 

In  safety  waft 
Whatever   craft 
Keeps   time   with  Leon's   yearning 

To   see  once   more 
His   native    shore 
And   hear   the   carols   ringing 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  73 


Of   sweeter  bird 
Than   all   he  heard 
In   foreign  countries  singing  ! 


Ethelbert. 
Delightful   and   inspiring, 

Shall   linger  with   me   long 
The   scene    at   Metawampe, 

Depicted  in   your   song ; 
A   solace    and    a   study, 

And   influence   as   well, 
To   keep   the   feet   from    straying 

And   to   right   acts  impel ; 
Significant   and   lovely 

As   beams   of   morning   are ; 
An   oasis   in    life's   desert ; 

In   darkest   night,    a   star, 

To   guide   and   cheer   Ethelbert, 
Who   speaks   his   thanks   to   thee. 

A.ncl   that   the    scene   you   sung   him 
An   omen   prove   to   be, 


74  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

There   dawns   a    hope   within   him  ; 

Though   he   cannot   behold 
The   good,   the   skies,   to   honor 

The   story   thou  hast   told, 
Will   send,   to   prove   the  saying, 

"  The  dawn   succeeds   the  night, 
If  thorns,   likewise  the  roses, 

And  after  wrong  the  right!" 

Horatius. 
Your  thankfulness   is   cheering ; 

And   'tis   high  joy  to   sing, 
The   more,   if  unto   others, 

The    song   a   solace   bring. 
The   sentiment   pervading 

The    Metawampe    theme, 
To   some,   would   seen   a  vision, 

And   idle   as   a  dream  ; 
Yet   I   delight   to   keep   it 

To   cheer  me,   and   inspire ; 
To  give   my  inner  being 

Its   light,    and   food,    and   fire  ! 

[Horatius  and  Ethelbert  rising  and   looking  across  the 
landscape,  the  former  re«umes  speaking.] 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  75 

But  who   are   those   equestrians 

Who   sweep   along   the   plain, 
In   easy   undulation, 

Like   billows   of  the   main  ? 
One  seems   a  kingly    escort, 

And   queenly   one   who   rides ; 
I   wonder  what,    Ethelbert, 

Their   coursing   there   betides ! 
Ethelbert,   they   approach   us ! 

Can   I   believe   my   eyes  ? 
My  heroes   gone   to  Europe, 

Give   us   a   fine   surprise. 

[The  equestrians  approach  and  dismount.] 

Horatius. 
Ethelbert ;    Leon,     Lillian. 

Lillian,   sotto   voce. 
Ethelbert!    that   the   name? 

Horatius. 

I   thought   you   o'er  the   ocean; 
But,   glad   to   see   you   here, 


76  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

I   ask  you,   know   my  welcome 
Is   hearty   and   sincere  ? 

Leon, 
Our   European   ramble, 

Postponed   until   the   sun 
His  grand    autumnal   solstice 

In   triumph   has   begun, 
We   came,   of  course,   to   Berkshire, 

To   spend   the   summer   days, 
And   study   much   on   horseback, 

Or  coach   along  the   ways. 
An   hour   ago   we   neared   you, 

Within   this   lovely  grove ; 
A   moment  heard   you   singing, 

And   toward   yon   mountain   drove. 

Horatius. 
May   I   inquire   the   meaning 

Of   Lillian's   knowing   look ; 
Why   of  the   name   Ethelbert 

She   special   notice   took? 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  77 

Leon. 
Well   mayst   thou   ask,    Horatius ; 

And   strange    as   romance   seems 
Our  meeting   here  in   Berkshire, — 

Dramatic   as   our   dreams ! 
And   Lillian   could   tell  thee, 

Though  modest   of  her   deeds, 
Why,   in   this   unplanned   meeting, 

Her  eye   such   meaning   reads. 

Lillian. 
The   heavenly   light  from   God's   high   throne 

Will   answer   all   true   praying, 
And   tell   us   when,    and  with   what   care, 

The    needed   good   conveying, 

We   go   with   ever   ready   hand ; 

And   if   at   once   obeying 
The   inner   voice,    we   save   from   sin 

Who   else   had   gone   far  straying, 

Our   act   shall   bring   us   grandest   joy, 
Above   all   song   or   story ; 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

And   better  fame   than   heroes   win 
On   fields   of   martial   glory! 

One   morn    I    sought  for   special   aid 

And  heavenly   direction, 
If   spoiler   try   his   power   to   wreak, 

That   I   give   prompt  protection. 

That   day   I    met   one   lured   astray, 
Who   seemed   by  hope   forsaken ; 

Yet  firm   against  the   tempter's  wiles, 
With   not   a  stray   step  taken. 

God  helped   me   say,    "My  friend,   let   not 
Thy  heart's   pure   blossom   perish!" 

And   memories   of  that  hour  until 
Life's   latest   day   I'll   cherish; 

So  bright   its   lustre   glows  at   thought 

That  faithfully   I   heeded 
The   voice   that  heaven   gave   within, 

And   spoke   the   message   needed. 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  79 

A   quick,   glad   cry,    she    seized   my   hand, 

And   then,    o'ercome,    she   fainted. 
The   tempter   fled;    and   then   her   voice, — 

"  A   maiden   still   untainted 

"  Thanks   her  who   saved   from   lasting   shame 

The   one   who   here   confesses 
Her  greatest  fault,   remembered   long, 
Of   scorning   his    addresses, 

"Who   thought   her   more    than    all   caressed 

By   all   the    airs   of  morning ; 
Then   proudly   she   his   suit   denied, 
And  greeted   with   cool   scorning, 

"  His   humble   prayer,    that   such    as   he, 

When   weary  years   of   waiting 
Had   proven   him,    might   then   renew 
His   suit,   with   hope    of   mating. 

"Tears   of   remorse   these   torrid   years, 

And   then   so   near   descending 
The   slimy  depths   where   woman   weeps 
In   shame   that   has   no   ending! 


8o  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

"Oh,   thou,   the   best   of   womankind. 
May   woman   worst   present   thee 
Her   trembling   thanks,    and   ask   thee    lift 
To    Heaven,    that   must   have    sent   thee, 

"These   tear-burned   eyes — to   God's   clear  blue, 

In   praise   for  fate   averted  ? 
But   may   I   hope  ?    will    God   forgive 
Her   sin   who   thus   deserted 

"The   noblest   one   since   time   began, 

And   gave   the   coolest   spurning 
To   his   sweet   words,   that   sang   like    larks, 
And   now,   to   ravens   turning, 

"With   fiery   beaks,    in   fiercest   ire, 

Are   in   my   spirit   burning? 
What   sequel   sad   of   broken   vows 
This   desert   heart   is   learning ! " 

And   gazing   sad,   with   tear-dimmed   ken, 

On   portrait   held   above   her, 
She   said,    "  I   print   one   burning   kiss, — 

Ah,   my   deserted   lover! 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  8 1 

"  My  wrong  to   him   has   brought   the   grief 

Of  which   Ethelbert   warned   me ! 
If   still   on   earth,   wilt   thou   forgive, 
Ethelbert,   her  who   scorned   thee  ? " 

[Ethelbert,  who  has  listened  with  riveted  attention,  sinks, 
overcome  with  emotion.] 

Estelle ! — Horatius,  hither ! 

-     Is   this   some   fleeting   dream? 

Lillian,   softly. 
He   speaks   her  name ;     how   strange   all    this  E 

"Pis   God's   own  wisdom    orders ; 
And   we   of   earth   seem   coming  near 

To   heaven's   very  borders. 

Still   lives   Estelle,    and   he    forgives 

For   all   those   years   of   sorrow ; 
A  thrilling  scene   perchance   there'll  bet 

When   Orient   brings   the   morrow; 

5 

Or  we   may  hear,   to-day,   the   vow 
Among   the   Berkshire   mountains, 


82  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

Excelling   song  of  bards   and   birds 
And   sweeter  than   the   fountains ! 

[Horatius,  taking  Ethelbert's  hand.] 

Companion   of  my  boyhood ! 

Ethelbert,    rising. 
Tell   me,   before   high   heaven, 

If  still   on    earth    there   lives 
The   one  of  whom   brave    Lillian 

Her  glowing  picture  gives; 
And,   if  she   live,   speak   gently, 

That   still   remains   on   earth, 
Ethelbert,    still   her   lover, 

To   whom   as   nothing  worth 
Seems   all   the   happy  summer, 

Nor   aught   the   joyous   spring, 
Which   doth   not   to   Ethelbert 

Her  radiant  presence  bring. 

Lillian. 

Her   home   with   us,   her  grief  she  tells 
To   none   but   those   who   love   her ; 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  83 

In   word   and   deed   she   lives   discreet 
As   God's   own   sky   above   her. 

She   came   with   us,   but  keeps  her  name 

From   all   in   Berkshire    dwelling; 
With   thee   restored,   she   may  forgive 

What  I,   to  thee,   am  telling! 

[Addressing  Leon.] 

Is   that  her  voice  ?   my   Leon   bring 

Thy   lens,   that  thou   descry  her; 
For  oft   she   strolls   alone    and   sings, 

Where   no   one    can   espy  her. 

Leon  thy  steed,   and  mine  for  her, 

Thou  who   wast   ever  knightly, 
Will   act  with  care,   and  gently   tell 

The   grand   denouement   rightly. 

Ethelbert, 

[As  Horatius  and  Estelle  approach.] 
My  own   Estelle,  forever ! 

Ye   birds   your  noblest  song; 


84  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

And   sweetest   brooks   of   Berkshire, 
The   joyous   strain   prolong! 


Ethelbert !  ! 

Ethelbert. 
Estelle !  ! 

[After  the  greeting  of  the  reunited  lovers,  Ethelbert  addresses 
Horatius.j 

Horatius,   thy  prediction, 

"  The  dawn   succeeds   the  night  i 

If  thorns,   likewise  the  roses, 
And  after  wrong  the  right!" 

Horatius, 
I   cannot  sing,    Ethelbert, 

As   high   as   you   deserve, 
Who,   through   the   fiercest  trials, 

Displayed   such   royal   nerve ; 
And,   in   these   sudden  blisses, 

Manly   thine   uncontrol ; 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  85 

While,   through   your  features    shining, 

The    lustre   of  your   soul, 
Wins    all   my   admiration, 

My   highest   fancy   fills, 
And   charms   more  than  the    music 

Arising  from   the    rills, 

Among   the    Berkshire    mountains 

That   murmur   sweet   along, 
And   sing   as   if   in   heaven 

They   learned   the    art   of  song, 
And   were   by   Him    commissioned 

Who   made   for   service   high, 
And   perfected   in    singing, 

The   minstrels    of   the   sky ; 
By   Him   who   spoke    to   being, 

Sweeter   to   sing   than    rills, 
My  friend   who   loves   to   hear  them, 

Among   these    Berkshire   hills. 

Each   one   the    other   loving 

With   fervency   of   heart, 
Each   glowed    to   find   the    other 


86  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

Rapt   o'er   the   rhythmic   art; 
But  when   we   came   to   try   it, 

You   sang   so   much   the   best, 
I   thought   it   would   be   fitting 

That   my   poor  harp   should   rest. 
And   yet   my   verse   found   favor, 

And   yours   was    scornful   thrown, 
As   stuff  for   which   no   merit 

Could    afterward   atone ! 

Sadly  you  tore  the  parchment, 
When  here  the  hills  among, 

To  leave  no  proof  to  mortals 
That  you  had  ever  sung. 

[Lillian,  motioning  Horatius  aside,  speaks  to  him  ;  after 
which  he  returns  and  addresses  Ethelbert.] 

Revealing   on   revealing ! 

Excelling   all   our   song, 
And    Lillian    has   told   me, 

As   he    is   brave    and   strong, 
That    I    inform    my   comrade, 

Above    the    angel's   word, 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

A   maiden   in   an   arbor 
At   Metawampe   heard — 

Was   sentiment   of   stanza, 
Upon   a   torn   page    read, 

Discovered   when    she    rambled, 
Where   intuition    led, 

From    Metawampe,    hither, 

Among   the    Berkshire    hills ; 
And   here    she   found   the    singing 

Which   all   this    romance   fills, 
With   most   inspiring   sweetness. 

And   here   how   grandly   fit 
That   she    repeat   the    stanza, 

In   your   own   tracing  writ. 
She   bade   me   give   the   paper 

To   him   who   wrote   the   verse; 
And   now   we    ask   that   Lillian 

The   lucid   lines    rehearse. 

Lillian. 

"Reduce  to  fact  your  fancy ; 
JV0r  tarry   till  you   do 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

Make  real  the  ideal 

That    God  has  given  you." 

Horatius. 
How   strange   the    revelation ! 

What   mortal   would   have   kenned 
Such  wealth   of  good   resulting 

From   verse   by   mortal   penned? 
An   artist's   fame    and   fortune, 

Domestic   bliss   complete, — 
Two   lives   of   highest   beauty 

With   usefulness   replete ! 
And   here,    perchance,    Ethelbert 

Will   other  lines   rehearse, 
To   match  those   loved   by   Lillian, 

As   beautiful    and   terse. 

Ethelbert. 
Most   real   the   ideal, 

Least  fact   what  most   call   fact ; 
And,   of   ideal,    most   real, 

Ideal    in    an    act. 

[Solicited  by  Lillian,  Ethelbert  continues.] 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  89 

When   some    kind   voice   tells   thee   plainly 

Of   new   building  for   thine   hand ; 
And   thou   findest   hindrance    mainly 

In   the    strangeness    of   command 

Calling   thee   from   routine   labor 

In   the   wonted,    humble,   sphere, 
And   thou   fear'st   from   foe   or   neighbor 

An   unkind   or  jealous   sneer; 

Do   not   for   such   hindrance    smother 
That   sweet   voice   that   speaks   within ; 

Thou   mayst   find   the   foe    turn   brother, 
If   thou   manfully   begin, 

And   continue   bravely   doing, 

Work   the   angel   bids   thee   do ; 
And,   each   day   the   work   renewing, 

Thou   shalt   find   it   ever   new. 

It   shall   charm   like   high   romances, 
Gemming   legends   of   old   days ; 


90  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

And,   beyond   thy   farthest  fancies, 
O'er  wide   plains,   by  untrod  ways, 

Paths   unknown   to   other   leaders,. 

Angel   guide   shall   lead   thee   sure, 
For   the   gold   and   goodly   cedars 

Which   shall   evermore   endure, 

In   the   towers   of   consummation 

That   shall   mark   thy  work   complete, 
And    attest   the   world's   laudation 
Which   thy   shrinking   ears   shall   greet. 

Fear   not   but  for   all   these   praises 
That   Good   Power  shall   well   prepare, 

Who   hath   life   in   all   its   phases 
Under   His   benignant  care ; 

For,   by   thorns    and   frequent   crosses, 
Which   thy   heart   shall   fully   test, 

«• 

Sad   reverses   and   sore   losses, 
If   His   wisdom    thinketh   best ; 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  91 

To   true   meekness   He   will   hold   thee, 

Still   commanding  thee,   be   brave, 
And   obey   injunctions   told   thee 

By   the   angel   that   He   gave. 

And   this   angel   shall   sustain   thee, 

Be   the   work   or   long   or   hard ; 
And   the   future   shall   explain   thee, 

All   that   did   thy   work   retard 

Was  designed  to  bid  thee  stronger 
Make  the  building  of  thine  hand, 

Which,  than  time's  duration  longer, 
Through  eternity,  shall  stand. 


Follow   thine   intuitions, 

They   always   lead   thee   right ; 
In   all   of   thine   ambitions, 

Heed   thou   the    inner   sight. 

Whatever   to   that   vision 
Seems   duty   for   thee,    do; 


92  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

No   matter  what   derision 
The   doing   leads   thee   through. 

And   derision   it   will   bring   thee, 
Ere   men   shall   understand, 

And   their   tardy   praises   sing   thee 
Whom   they   had   gladly   banned; 

They  who   would   joy   to   shame   thee 
And   chill   thy   heart   with   fright, 

Did   not   thy   grit   proclaim   thee 
Superior   to   their   might. 

Brave    one,    thine    intuitions 
Shall   always   lead    thee    right ; 

In    all   of   thine    ambitions 
Heed   thou   the   inner   sight ! 

Directed   by   that   vision 

Thy   duty   bravely   do ; 
The   glow   from   thy   decision 

Shall   light   and   lead   thee   through. 


STANZA  AND   SEQUEL.  93 

Whatever   the   monitions 

Thou   hear'st   within   thee,    heed ; 
That   thou   to   have   contritions 

May   never  know  the   need. 

The    Father   is   forgiving, 

If  thou   repentest   sin ; 
Yet  most   He   loves   that   living 

Which   hath   no   falseness   in. 


Wanting  fulcrum,   wanting   lever, 

Given   heavy  weight   to   lift; 
Strong  in  faith,   begin   endeavor, 

There   shall   come   to   thee,    the   gift 

Of   a  heaven-designed   appliance, 

By   which   thou   shalt   mountains   move ; 

While   beside   thee,   in   alliance, 
There   shall   angels   wait  to   prove, 

On   more   hindrances   before   thee, 
All   their  own   celestial   might; 


94  STANZA  AND    SEQUFL. 

And   shall   beam,    benignant   o'er   thee, 
God's   own   sky   of  love   and   light! 


Leon. 
Be   these   bright   words   our   motto; 

And   now,   if   Lillian   please, 
To   mark   events   resulting 

From   sentiments   like   these ; 
Will   she,   where   lovely   maples 

Delight  our  lodge   with   shade, 
Prepare   a  feast   as   royal 

As   one   for  sovereigns   made  ? 
For  wine   thou   hast   no   liking, — 

And  who   would   wish  for   wine, 
What   other   drink   were   given, 

If  poured  by  hand   of  thine? 

And,    at  that  feast,    Horatius, 
Perchance,   will   give   a   song, 

Announcing   in   sweet   numbers 
That   Love   enduring  long 


STANZA  AND   SEQUEL.  95 


The   trials   of   his   patience, 

Doth   added   bliss   receive 
For   every   cold   refusal 

That   made   his    spirit   grieve,- 
A   song   to   date    a   wedding 

When   fine   October  sun 
Shall   speak   the   season   fitting 

That   lovers   be   made   one. 


And   if   at   Metawampe 

Our  friends   shall   wish   to   wed, 
Will   Lillian   deck   the   arbor 

Where    intuition   led 
When   erst   she   sought   an   angel, 

And  where   his   hope   begun, 
Who,   but  for  her   relenting, 

Had   ever  been   undone  ? 
Thou,    Lillian,   my   consort, 

Though  years   have   made   me   gray, 
And  thou  hast  locks   of  silver, 

Thou   art,   as   on  that   day, 


96  STANZA  AND    SEQUEL. 

My   joy,    my   inspiration  ; 

As   beautiful    as   beams 
That   gild   the    hours   of   morning 

Or   sparkle    in   our   dreams ; 
As   young   as    at   that   meeting 

When    thou   didst   say,    "  forgive ; 
And    I,   for   thy   relenting, 

Could   bid   thy   hope    relive ; 
The   hour   when    smiling   heaven 

Gave   token   in    thy   kiss, 
Initial   fit,    and   foretaste, 

Of  these   bright  years   of   bliss ! 


And   with   the   words   uniting 

Their  hearts   in   golden   bands, 
Shall   they,   as   our  companions, 

Embark  for  foreign   lands; 
To   thread   the  glens   of   Scotland, 

And   climb   the   Alpine   height; 
To   linger  in   the   castles 

That   rose   by  feudal   might; 


STANZA  AND   SEQUEL. 

To   pluck   delicious   clusters 

From   vine-clad   hills   of   France; 

And   muse   where   classic   ages 
The   interest   enhance 

In   Italy's   rich   landscape, 

And   her   delightful    skies ; 
And   then,   returning   hither, 

Find   much   to   love   and   prize 
In   this   good   land,   where   nature 

And   liberty   unite, 
To  furnish  those   devoted 

To  freedom   and   the   right 
Fit   home,    with   room   for  growing 

In   all   that  makes   men  great, 
And   elevates   a   people, 

And   unifies   a   state. 

[Lillian  and  Ethelbert  depart  on  horseback  to  the  lodge,  and  Leon 
addresses  Estelle,  who  tarries  with  Horatius.] 

Truth  worth   the   telling,   such   as   poet  true 
Doth   sing,   is   only  found   by   patient   search 
In   realm   beyond   the   bounds   of   earthliness, 


98  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

Accessible   to  him   alone,   whose   heart, 

Of  selfishness   divest,   and   well   refined, 

Can   be   that  brave   it   must,   to   study   close 

As  will   to  him   reveal   truth's   treasures,   hid 

Therein,   and  evermore,   to   selfish   ones, 

E'en   were   they,   unregenerate,   permit 

That   realm   to   range.     Fell   foe   is   selfishness, 

To  bard,   permitting  him   no   bravery 

To  journey  to   that   realm   he   seeks  afar, 

And   quenching  insight  clear  that   sees   the   truth-, 

And   that   dread  enemy,   once   slain, 

Often   revives   again   to  vex  ;   and  he 

With   grandest   powers   of  song,   may  have   within 

An   equal    enemy,    and   know  it  not. 

How   happy  he,   if  faithful   fnend   shall   see, 

And   of  that  foe,   to   his   convincing,   tell. 

And   fortunate,   beyond   compare,   to   him, 

If  woman   is  that  friend,  whose   love   for  him, 

Enlightens  her  to   see   how   strong  that  foe, 

And   aids  her  in  the   discipline   upon 

His   heart   which   shall   the   enemy   expel; 

And   aids   that,   then,    with  tears   sincere,   she   beg 

To   bow   before   the   man   she   loves ;   and   he, 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  99 

Protesting   'tis   high  privilege   to   him 

That  she   beside   him   sit,   shall   gratefully 

Admit   he   is   her   debtor  evermore, 

For   discipline   severe   which   all  his   worst 

Self  conquered,   that  his   best  might   live   and   sing (. 

Estelle,    possessor  of  that   poet's   heart 

And   soul,   whose   coinage   and  whose  breathing  was 

The    sentiment,   in   living  which   high   truth 

Did   Lillian   all   doubt   and   selfishness 

Expel   my  heart ;   inspire   with  bravery, 

And   teach   me   patience   with   myself,    that   sought, 

In   practice   of  his   art,  the   tracery   to   do 

The   artist's   work,   that  gave   my  heart   its  joy 

And  brought  me  all  my  wealth  of  fame  and  friends ! — 

Thou,   wise   and  good,   what  words   of  mine,   to   thee 

Shall   tell   the   deep  solicitude   that  thou, 

By   love  assigned   to   keep  his   heart,   and  thence 

To   drive   his   enemy,   that  thou   shalt   see 

This   work   is   thine   to   do !     What  words  shall   tell 

The  joy  that  springs  from  full   belief  that  thou 

Wilt   thus   interpret  meaning  grand   of  these 

Events,   and   well   thy  work   will   comprehend  ; 

And  for  that  mission   high,    Ethelbert  wed  ! 


100  STANZA  AND  SEQUEL. 

Estelk. 

Thou   speakest,    Leon,    as   from   heaven,   the   words 
That   I    shall  prize,    and  evermore    shall   heed ! 
Shed,    sweetest   skies,  your   loveliness    divine, 
To   temper   well   this   heart  !    and    Spirit,    Thou, 
In    Heaven,    regnant  high,   yet   noting   all 
Thy   children's  cries;    to   me    all    meekness   give, 
And  courage,   that   I   well   endure   upon 
My  bleeding  heart,   the   blows  thou   biddest   that 
My  hand  inflict,    a   better,   truer   man 
To  make  that  one   I   love   as  life   itself ! 

Leon. 

Right   nobly  done,   thy  sentiment!    and   now 
The   language,   high,  thy   lover   penned   long  years 
Ago,   and  words  my  heart  in   faith  adopts : 

"  Reduce  to  fact  your  fancy  ; 

Nor  tarry   till  you   do 
Make  real  the  ideal 

That   God  has  given  you." 

And   thus,    Ethelbert,  blessed,   refined,   inspired 
By  thee,   and  growing  by  his  work,   shall   learn, 


STANZA  AND  SEQUEL.  IOI 

And    all   who    shall   his   song   admire   will    read, 

In    their    own   bettered   lives   his   song   has   blessed, — 

Still   further   sequel,   grand,    of   truth   he    sung 

In   verse   the   critics,   cursing,   thought   to    kill ! 

[Leon  and  Horatius  start  for  the  lodge,  leaving  Estelle  to 

follow  with  Ethelbert  who  has  returned  and 

addresses   her] 

Kstelle,    thy  steed   awaits   thee, 

Eager  to    own    thy    rein 
And    amble,    at   thy   bidding, 

Like    zephyr   o'er   the   plain; 
Beyond   the    Housatonic, 

To   glens    among   the   hills, 
Where    sparkle    silver   cascades 

And   sing   the    happy   rills, 
And   where    the    lodge    of   Leon 

Affords   an    ample   view 
Of   scene,   where,   now,   two   lovers 

Pray   heaven    to   keep   them   true ! 

[Estelle,  with  Ethelbert  as  escort,  leaves  the  grove.] 


MISCELLANEOUS 


"WHERE  THE  NOBLE  HAVE  THEIR  COUNTRY." 

ABOVE  the  grandeur  of  sunsets 
Which  delight  this  earthly  clime, 
And  the  brightest  of  the  dawnings 

Breaking  o'er  the  hills  of  time, 
Is  the  richness  of  the  radiance 
Of  the  land  beyond  the  sun, 
Where  the  noble  have  their  country 
When  the  work  of  life  is  done  ; 


With  the  deep,  mysterious  problem 

Of  their  earthly  life  made  plain  ; 
All  the  bitter  turned  to  sweetness, 

All  the  losses  turned  to  gain  ; 
And  the  new  life's  heavenly  rapture 

Far  exceeding  griefs  of  this  ; 
Earth's  hard  toiling  all  forgotten 

In  the  restfulness  of  bliss  ! 


io6  "BRIGHT  ON  YOUR  NATIVE  HILLS.' 

And  the  music  of  their  welcome, 

From  angelic  lyres  of  gold, 
Shall  full  often  be  repeated, 

Yet  it  never  shall  grow  old ; 
Music  grander  than  earth's  noblest, 

Than  all  eloquence  of  words, 
And  the  sweetest  of  carols 

Of  the  gladdest  of  the  birds  ! 


"BRIGHT  ON  YOUR  NATIVE  HILLS." 

T)  RIGHT  on  your  native  hills 
J-J  The  sun  benignant  beams, 
Perennial  down  the  pleasant  slopes 

Still   sing   the    happy   streams, 
Which   feed   yon   river's   tide    that   flows 

In   beauty   through   the   vale ; 
Transparent,  purling   brooks 

Which    sing   of   springs   that   never   fail ; 
And   grand   the    mountains   stand,  as   erst, 


"BRIGHT  ON  YOUR  NATIVE  HILLS.  107 

When    there   your   kindred   dwelt, 
And   fresh   the   mountain   winds   as    airs 
Their  fields    and   forests   felt. 


And  ye   remain   to   keep   their   homes, 

And   guard   the    noble    name 
Earned  by  their   share  of   those   grand   deeds 

That   give    New    England   fame. 
Shines   their   example,  still,  as  bright 

As   beams   the    golden    sun ; 
Flows   still  their   influence    as   pure 

As   mountain   waters    run. 
So   cherish   ye   the    fame    they   gained, 

And   emulate   their   worth, 
Your   names,  when   ye    are   gone,  shall   live, 

Perennial   in   the   earth ! 


"SHE  PLACED  THE  BITTER-SWEET.' 

(In  remembrance  of  a  noble  family.) 

TO   girlhood's   home   returning, 
She   placed   the    bitter-sweet 
Within    the   grand   old   mansion, 
Where   sunbeams    shadows   meet; 

And   there   declared :    "  Henceforward 

Be   kindness   all   my   theme; 
With   constant   hand   dispensing, 

The   moments   to   redeem ; 

"Teaching,  if   I   have    suffered, 
I   would  the   world   be    blest; 

Praying,  if   I   have    struggled, 
The   weary   have   good   rest. 

"  I  thank   Thee,  Heavenly   Father— 
My   name   Thou   hast   kept   sweet, 

And   through   these   bitter   trials, 
Hast   kept   my   ways   discreet." 


"SHE    PLACED   THE    BITTER-SWEET."  109 

The  silver   tresses   mingling 

Her   raven   locks    among 
Mean   more   than    years  ;    they  index 

Her  heart's   own   sorrows   wrung; 

Of  which,  most   like,  she   tells   not, 

So   reticent   of  grief ; 
.As   most   like   she   hath   suffered 
Too   deeply  for   belief. 

Beyond   that  first   revealing 

She   speaks    not   of   her   lot; 
Hoping   her   many   sorrows 

By  earth  be    all   forgot! 

To  girlhood's   home   returning, 

She   placed  the   bitter-sweet 
Within   the   grand   old   mansion, 

Where   sunbeams1    shadows   meet! 


ALWAYS  WITH  THEE. 

IN  sunny  days  of  childhood  playing, 
When  life  was  all  one  scene  of  Maying, 
And  thou  hadst  not  a  thought  of  staying, 
God  blessed  thee  then. 


Forgiving  all  thy  youthful  sinning, 
He  helped  thee  to  a  manly  winning 
Good  triumphs  o'er  a  bad  beginning, 
And  helps  thee  still, 


That,  in  the  strife  which  ceaseth  never, 
Demanding  watch  and  warring  ever, 
Thou  do,  by  manliest  endeavor, 
The  victor  be. 


THROUGH   GRIEF. 

O  GIVEN   by  fiends   the   gall  to   drink, 
And   sweeter  grown   for   all   they   send 
A   kind    and   watchful    Providence 

Will   soon   proclaim   the   ordeal's   end ; 
Yet   call   thee   not  from   earth   above, 

But   ask   thee,   wearied   one,    take  rest; 
And   that   thy   restless   eyes   may  close, 

Command   that,   from   the    roseate   west, 
Angels   reposeful   influence   sweet 

Pour  forth,   to  give   thy   spirit   calm, 
And   others   send,   on   zephyrs   borne, 

To   soothe   thy  troubled   heart   with  balm. 

Angelic   ones   shall   sentinel 

Thy  rest,   and  fragrance   waft,   till   day, 
Shall   brightly   break   and   bid   thee,   glad, 

Thy   grateful    orisons   to   pay ; 
Refreshed,    inhale    the    ambrosial    air 

And   walk   beneath   a  happy   sky, 


112  THROUGH   GRIEF. 

Inspired,   by   carol   of   the   birds 

And   songs   of    brooks   that   murmur   by, 

With  faith   that   heaven   will   bless   thy   days,   • 
Each   westering   sun   bring   peaceful   sleep, 

And   every   morn   new   evidence 

That  angels   tender  watch-care   keep ! 

Heroic   sufferer,   who   hast   borne 

The   burden   of   a    broken   heart, 
Patiently,    artlessly,    and    yet 

With   all   the   dignity   of  art, 
While   so   intent   to   bless   the   world 

None  knew  what  woes  thine  own  heart  had — 
Deep,   bitter  griefs,   which,   told    above, 

Would   make  the   heavenly   singers   sad, — 
Soon   shalt   thou   learn   the   gracious  truth, 

Through  griefs   and   cares   which   here    annoy, 
Heaven   builds   the   path  by   which   thy  feet 

Shall   reach   the   highest   hills   of  joy ! 


"TOO  MANY  HEARTS  ARE  SAD  TO-NIGHT." 

TOO   many  hearts   are   sad,   to-night, 
I    may   not   dance   to   music   light, 
They're   sad   from   hunger   and   from   pain, 
And   sad   from    sin's   polluting   stain. 
Low   down   in    cellars,   up   the   stairs, 
Where   freely   pass   the  winter   airs ; 
'Neath   wretched   shed,    and   in   the    street, 
Where   pelt   the   piercing   storms   of  sleet, 
Are   pallid   cheeks,    and    sunken    eyes, 
And   forms   that   never   more   may   rise. 
Too   many   hearts    are    sad   to-night, 
I    cannot   dance   to    music   light. 
But   some   will   wake,    if  moved   aright, 
To   noble   purpose   and   brave   deed, 
And   nobly  with   their   duty   speed, 
Achieving  full,   complete    success, 
While    all   the  world,    admiring,   bless. 
All   this,  if   now,    right   words    I    say, 


114  BLESSINGS    FOR  THE   HELPFUL. 

While   you   with  like    companions   gay, 
In   dizzy   waltzing   whirl    away ! 
Too   many   hearts   are   sad   to-night; 
I   will  not   dance   to   music   light! 


BLESSINGS   FOR  THE  HELPFUL. 

GOOD   friend,    if  every   one   observed 
The   mandate   to  be   kind, 
If   all  were   courteous   as   thyself, 

And   helpfully   inclined, 
How   bright   a  scene    this   earth   would  be, 

How  light   life's   burdens   prove  ; 
How   blithe,    along   life's   rugged  .road, 
Would   pilgrims  singing   move ! 

Sweet  resonance   of   sparkling   streams 
Would   bless   life's   desert   drear; 

And   birds   would   sing,    and   flowers  and   fruit 
With  fragrance   fill   the   air! 


THE   FORTY-SECOND.  115 

There   is   no   overestimate 

Of   kindness   to   our   kind, 
And  brightest   stars   will   bless   the   man 

To   helpful   ways   inclined ! 


THE  FORTY-SECOND. 

WHEN,  erst,   the   nation   was  besieged 
By   armed   rebellious   foemen, 
And   peace    had   fled,    and   skies   were   dark 

With   every   direful   omen ; 
And  Lincoln,   from   the   capitol, 
For   aid   so   wistful   beckoned, 
Not   least   among  the   men   to   march 
The   Bay   state's   Forty-second ! 

Now   that   the   din   of  war   is   done, 
And   glad  the   war   cloud's   risen, 

They   come   with   thought   of    camp   and   field, 
And   of   the   rebel   prison ! 


Il6  THE    FORTY-SECOND. 

They   gather   here    for   hearty   words. 

In   kindly   interest   spoken, 
To   make    the   bands   of  friendship  strong, 

That   never  may   be   broken ! 

Should   Treason  arm  again   her   hosts, 

To   fill   the    land   with   trouble, 
Her   deepest   schemes   of   ill   would   prove 

An   evanescent   bubble  ; 
For   those    brave    men   would   rise    again 

And   march,   with   others   like    them, 
To   capture    all    the    rebel   guns, 

And    evermore    to    spike   them. 


And,   wishing   you   much   earthly  joy, 

And   entrance    late   to   heaven, 
I    speak   this   sincere    offering, 

In  rhythmic    numbers   given, 
By   one   who   deems   it   pleasant  fame 

That   he    is   welcome    reckoned, 
A  member,    in   good    standing,   with 

The   Bay   state's   Forty-second ! 


THE   CRITICS. 

THE  wicked   wish   some    critics   have, 
And   knack,    and   greed,    to   kill, 
May   pass   quite    readily   for   taste, 
.And   evidence   of   skill  ; 

But   were   there    none    to   write    a   verse, 

Or   paragraph   of   prose, 
How   critics,    then,    would   pass   their  time, 

Is   more    than   mortal   knows. 

They   might   ascend   the    upper   spheres, 

To   criticise   the   stars, 
And   teach   good  manners  and   good   sense 

To    Jupiter   and    Mars ; 

Then   clip   away   old    Saturn's    rings 
And   set   him   bounds   to   run ; 

Or  venture   near   the   solar  fires, 
To   regulate   the   sun ! 


Il8  THE    RETORT. 


And   should   these    critics   go   to    Heaven 

Their  joy   would   be    to    tell 
How  saints   might   tune    their   harps    correct 

And   sing  hosannas   well ! 


THE   RETORT. 

THESE   lines   to  tell   thee   bards 
Who   sing   for   all    the    listening   land, 
And   sages   wise    and   famed,   had   named 

Felicitous    and   grand 
The   verse    on  which    thou   didst 

Invoke    an    ignominous   fate, 
And,   with   high   scornful   wrath,    declare 
Unworthy  of   thy   hate ! 

Then   thou,   with   thy  gray   eyes 

Quick   twinkling   in   their   greedy   glee, 

And    rubbing  thy   cold    palms,    didst   look, 
Expectant   long,    to   see 


REMINISCENCES.  119 

Before    thee,    suppliant   still, 

Thy   victim   bow   in   further   prayer, 
And   then   his  trembling  form   begin 

Dissolving   into   air ! 

Instead,    at   equipoise, 

He   gazed,    awhile,    in    high  delight 
On   thy   hard   face,    then    left   thee    there, 

All   powerless   in   thy   might! 
Although   thou   gav'st   him    joy, 

He   does   not   thank   thee   for  the  bliss ; 
That   verse,   to   thee,  seemed  lacking  fire ; 

Grim   critic,    say,    does   this? 


REMINISCENCES. 

ESQUIRE    SMITH    AND    OTHERS. 

WE   count   above    our   common   good, 
Selectest   of    our   joys, 
Remembrances   in   those    dear  days 
When   you   and   I    were   boys, 


120  REMINISCENCES. 

And   when,   perfumed   with   clover   bloom, 

Our   early   moments    ran, 
And   happy   in    the    songs    of   birds 

We   journeyed   up   to   man. 

What  other   cure    the   world   prescribes, 

By   far   the    safest,    best, 
Is   glancing  at   our   early   days, 

Is   retrospect   and   rest. 

From  cares    and    crowds    of    urban    life, 

From   traffic   of   the   town ; 
From   wearying  toil    in    dust    and    din, 

From   griefs   that   weigh   you   down ; 

From   present   ill,    and   future    dread, 

And   all   that   fetters   thee, 
Come   to   the  country   and   the   past, 

Be   innocent  and   free. 

Review   the    scenes   of  early   days 
With   fondness    and   with   care, 


REMINISCENCES.  121 

The    neighborhood    once    all   your  world, 
And   every   object   there : 

The   pansied   yard,    the    slant   well-sweep, 

And   apple   orchard   near ; 
The    ancient   farm-house,    broad    and   red, 

By   many   memories   dear; 

The    hay-field   and   the    pasture    wide, 

The   fences   by   the   lane ; 
The   thick-leaved   maples   where   you   hid 

When   pattered   down   the   rain ; 

The    road  where    erst   the  stage-coach  ran, 

Which   joyed   you   as   it   passed, 
The  high    coach   set   on   thoroughbrace, 

And   built   to   have  it   last ; 

The    mountain    road-way,    steep   and  rough, 

On  which   you  trudged   to   school, 
To    "  make   your   manners "    and   to   learn 

Hard    Colburn's   sum   and   rule ; 


REMINISCENCES. 

The   school-house    near   the   beechen   grove; 

The    neighboring   lumber   mill ; 
The    home-made   hand-sled,    and   the    joys 

Of   coasting   down  the   hill ; 

The    autumn   woods   and   golden   maize, 

And   old   Thanksgiving  day  ; 
The    winter   wood-pile    at   the    door 

And   drifts   that   choked   the   way; 

Strict    Sundays    at   the    hill-top   church, 

Staid   deacons   in   their   pews, 
The    preacher   in   his    lofty   place, 

Discoursing  gospel   news; 

And   Sunday   noons,   with  sermon    done, 

And   benediction    said, 
When   we,    in   that   dear   scripture    class, 

"The   word"   together   read. 

Wise    counsel,    then,    the   teacher   gave, 
That   angel   of   our  youth, 


REMINISCENCES.  123 

If   pointedly,   yet   tenderly, 
To   carry  home   the   truth. 

His   sympathetic   face   dispelled 

Our   bashfulness    and   fears, 
Glowed   at   recital   of   our   joys 

And   saddened   at   our  tears; 

And   fragrant   will   the    memory   be 

Of   our   devoted   friend, 
Till   that  good  town   and    all   of   earth 
In    nothingness    shall  end! 

And   one   was   in   that    Sunday   class 

Who   felt   a   call    to   preach, 
And   proved   it   true    by   saving   those 

Whom   others   could   not   reach. 

With   men   on   every   hand   who   wished 

The   gospel    plan   explained, 
He   did   not   tarry   long   at   school, 

Nor   wait   to   be   ordained, 


124  REMINISCENCES. 

But   went   to  work,   with   earnestness, 

And   strove   his   best   to   win 
Some   trophy  for  the    Lord   he   loved, 

By  leading  those   from   sin 

Who   near  him   dwelt,   and   whom   he   thought 

In  value   quite   the   worth 
Of    those   who   lived   across   the   seas, 

In   corners   of   the   earth. 

• 

The   hamlet  school-house   where   he   preached 

To   half   a   hundred   men 
Would   hardly   hold   the    throngs   his   words 

Have   won   to   grace   since   then. 

Unlike    ambitious   pulpiteers 

Who   preach   and   pray   for   fame, 

He   did   not   seek   the   praise   of  men, 
Nor  glory  when   it  came ; 

But,   stronger  grown   with   his   success, 
Nor  vain   amid   applause, 


REMINISCENCES.  125 

He   keeps   his   great   and   growing   powers 
Devoted   to   his   cause. 

Another   of   that   Sunday   band 

Has   lived  for  self   alone, 
And   reached,   at   last,   the   height,   he   sought, 

The   politician's   throne. 


Ambitious  man   of  place,   the   years 

Of   innocence    review, 
And   see   how  far  your   selfishness, 

From   righteous   ways   and   true, 

Has   led  you   on,   through   doubtful   schemes 

And   crooked   paths,   to   power 
Which   founded   seems,   but  which   must  fail 

When   comes   the   trial   hour, 

And   leave   you   naught  but   bitterness 
And   keen   remorse   for  ways 


126  REMINISCENCES. 

At  variance  with  the  pleasant  scenes 
That  gem  your  early  days. 

Among   the   quaint   habitues, 

Whose   words   the   hamlet   cheered, 

Welcome    at   huskings   and   the    "bees," 
The   story  man   appeared. 

Glad  on  their  journey  to  the  school, 
The  pupils  heard  him  tell 

Of  famous  men  who  once  were  boys 
And  learned  their  lessons  well, 

And   were   quite   sure   to   reach   at  last 

A   place    at   Washington, 
Where   many   mighty   laws   were   made, 

And   other  things   were   done  ! 

Although  you  little  knew  or  dreamed 
What  were  the  "other  things," 

Have   you   until   to-day   remained 
Quite   innocent   of   "  rings  ?" 


REMINISCENCES. 


The   other  school   tasks   done,   you   said 
"  Set  "    answers,    that   were  given, 

Anent   some   worthies   then   on   earth, 
And   others   gone   to   heaven. 

With   veneration   you   pronounced 

The    ancient   Briggs's   name, 
But   have   you   copied  in   your   life 

His   honest   steps   to   fame  ? 

The    shed   remains   wherein   you   sawed 

The   beech   and  maple   wood, 
Where   cart   and   fanning   tools   were   kept, 

And   where   that   grind-stone  stood 

Which   brings   to   you   sad   memories 

Of   axes   hard   to    grind, 
And,    in    hot   days,    the    scythe,   to   try 

The   temper   of  your   mind  ! 

Often   you   vowed,   when   older  grown, 
Machinery   should    serve 


1 28  REMINISCENCES. 

To   do   the   work   that   over-taxed 
Your  adolescent  nerve. 

But   other   themes   than   labor  aids 
Have   moved  your  mind   since   then, 

And   you   have   had   your   axes   ground 
By  various   sorts   of  men ! 

You   must   recall   quaint   "Major"   Brown, 

Who   led   a   roving   life, 
Since,   years   before,    death   claimed   the   girl 

Pledged  for  the   "Major's"  wife. 

And  you  remember  when  they  laid 
This  "  Major "  Brown  to  rest, 

That  reverent,  near  the  open  grave, 
The  neighbors  kindly  pressed; 

While   all   the   failings   of  his  life, 

In   pity,   were   forgot, 
And    all   his   worth  was   magnified, 

With   worth   that   he    had   not ! 


REMINISCENCES.  129 

Although,   to-day,   you   feel    above 

Such  broken   men   of  grief, 
So   "great"  they  ought  to   prize    the   pence 

You   dole  for  their  relief ; 

When,   at   the   coming   call   of   death, 

You   journey   out   of   town ! 
Will   people    think   as   well   of  you 

As  erst  of   "  Major "   Brown  ? 

Ambitious  man   of  place,   the   scenes 

Of   innocence   review, 
And   once   again   return   to  walk 

In   righteous   ways   and   true. 


This   selfish   one   let   us  dismiss, 

He   cannot   flourish   long ; 
And  we  can   find   more   fitting  theme 

To   chronicle   in    song, 


130  REMINISCENCES. 

In  that  delightful  scene,  when  you, 
At  spring-time,  on  the  hill, 

Entranced  to  see  the  liquid  wealth 
From  maple  trees  distill, 

And,   that  it   might   the    sweeter  grow, 
Sing,   o'er   the  laughing   fire, 

A   carol   sweet   as   ever  breathed 
From   angel   lip   or  lyre, 

Found   finer  charm   in   liquid   eyes 

Of  two   most   lovely   girls, 
Whose  happy   smiles   and  ruddy  cheeks, 

And   innocence   and   curls, 

Were   invitation   that   you   dish 
For  them   the   waxen   sweet, 

And   in   return,   for   recompense, 
Their  lips   with  kisses   greet  ! 

One   was   a  cousin,   I   believe; 
The   other  was   a  friend 


REMINISCENCES. 

Whom   afterwards   you  vowed   to   love 
Till   earthly   days   should   end. 

And   now   the   keepsake   that   she  gave 
Is   moist   with   tears    you   shed, 

To   think,   before   the   wedding  day 
Your  pleasant   friend   was   dead  1 


By   road  whereon   the   stages  ran, 

Not   far   away,   the   place, 
Wherein,   of  old,    as   "  leading  man," 

With  more  than  usual  grace, 

There   reigned   Elnathan    Smith,    Esquire, 
Who   lived,    through   all   his   days, 

For  morals,   manners   and  attire, 
Deserving  sincere   praise. 

Smith  spurned  a  miser  as  a  thief, 
And  acted  "  on  the  square ;" 

And  those  not  Masons  have  belief 
That  Smith  had  once  "  been  there." 


132  REMINISCENCES. 

Attending   church   in   holy   time, 

As   every   body   should, 
He   "  joined"   in   prayer   and    Sunday   rhyme, 

As   pious   people   would. 

Smith   kept  his   temper   all  the   while 

Unmarred   by   frown   or  fret, 
And  gave   a   penny  and   a   smile 

To   every   child   he   met. 

He   had   good   sense   and   ready  wit, 

And   kept   whate'er   he   heard 
That  was   for  keeping   really  fit, 

And   always   kept   his   word. 

To   patriotic   teachings   true, 

He   deemed   of   highest  worth, 
And   kept,   as   most  of   Smithville   do, 

The   "  great   and   glorious   Fourth." 

Smith   had   a   clear,   unbiased   mind, 
And,    such   the   town's   desire, 


REMINISCENCES.  133 

The   governor   felt   well   inclined, 
And   made    him   village   squire. 

He   taught,   ten   terms,   the   district   school 

In   an    adjoining   place, 
Maintaining   there    a   pleasant   rule 

With    dignity   and   grace. 

To   Washington   he   never   went, 

That   town   of  high   import ; 
Yet   twice   had  been   as  juror   sent, 

And   once   to  General   Court  ! 

As    Smith  grew   old   he   walked   in  town, 

On   pleasant   afternoons, 
Attired   in   garb   of  modest   brown, 

And   humming   cheery   tunes. 

And,   with   his   full   and   steady   breath, 

And   face   with   health   aglow, 
He   seemed   no   older   near  his   death 

Than   twenty   years   ago; 


134  REMINISCENCES. 

Yet   Mister   Smith   has   gone   from   earth, 

As  every   mortal   must, 
Of   noble   or   of   lowly  birth 

Unrighteous   they,   or  just. 

His   life,    in    Smithville   which   began, 

Closed   there   at   eighty-four; 
And    Smithville   weeps   that   this   good   man 

Can   be   with   them   no   more. 


Smith's   life-long  friend  was   Doctor   Bliss, 

Who   carried,   everywhere, 
A   smile,    to   cheer   the    sick   and   drive 

That   worst  of   curses,    care. 

Bliss   loved    Squire    Smith,   and   looked   like   him, 

Clad   trim    in   like    attire ; 
Near   him   he   lived,    and   when   he    died, 

Was   buried   near  the    squire. 


REMINISCENCES.  135 

Another   friend   of    Mister   Smith, 

Respected   and   revered, 
Was   William   Wilson,    learned    and   wise, 

A   teacher  born   and   reared. 

The   ancient  school-house   where   he   taught, 

For   twenty   years    and   more, 
Had   but   three   windows   on   a  side, 

And   one    above   the    door. 

It  stood   upon  the   village   green, 

Hard   by   the   "  Center   church ;" 
Was   well   supplied   with  furniture, 

But   unsupplied   with   birch ! 

This   Wilson   had   a   better  way 

To   punish   recreant  boys, 
Who   had   been  lazy   at  their  tasks 

Or   making   needless   noise. 

To   them   more  dread   than   blows   the   book 
Wherein,   with   proper   grade, 


136  REMINISCENCES. 

For  every   wrong   a   pupil   did, 
The   fearful   check   was   made ! 

With   patience    and   with   kindly   care 

He   led   his   pupils   through 
The   paths   of  common   learning,    till 

They  every  feature   knew. 

And   oft,   perchance,   they   caught  a   glimpse 

Of  classic   grove    and   field, 
And  felt   a   longing   for   the  fruits 

Those   pleasant   regions   yield. 

But   Euclid   and  "the   languages," 

In    district   schools   of   yore, 
Were   all   discarded   and  forbid, 

As   very  useless   lore. 

Since   Wilson  gave   up   teaching  school, 
Ten   years   and   five   have   passed ; 

But   through   a   century   to   come 
His   influence    shall  last. 


REMINISCENCES.  137 


He   still   resides   within   the   town  ; 

And,   though   three-score   and   ten, 
The   people   all   declare   he  is 

The   comeliest  of  men. 


Not   far   away   from    Smith's    abode 

The   shop   of   Crispin   Crane, 
Who   furnished   boots   for   Smithville   folk, 

A  livelihood   to   gain. 

Not   only   did   he   gauge   their  feet, 

But   oft   they   came   to   find 
He   fully  had   the   power  to   take 

The   measure   of   their   mind! 

By  timely   repartee   he   stilled 

A   most   perplexing   bore, 
Who   perpetrated    bitter  jokes 

Within  the    Smithville    "store." 


138  REMINISCENCES. 

And   Smithville   vowed,   town   meeting   day, 

"Who  can   this   pest   defeat, 
We   must  elect  him,   here   and   now, 

To   legislative   seat." 

Crane   proved   a  wise   assembly  man, 
Was   hearty  with   his   friends, 

And   never  made   a   speech   unless 
To   compass   worthy  ends. 

It   was   this  year   in    politics 

A   party   rose    and   fell, 
Whose   bad   disaster   at   their   schemes 

It   is   a  joy   to   tell. 

Late   in   the   term   a   question    rose 

This   party  called   the   test, 
For  which   their   leader  spoke   at   length 

With  artificial   zest; 

And,    in   his   final   flight,    declared, 
"  How   favored   is   the    land 


REMINISCENCES. 

Where,   sentinels   of  public   peace, 
Labor   reformers   stand !" 

" '  Labor  reformers',''  Crispin   spoke, 
"  That   means    reformed   from  work  ; 

And   rightly  named,   for  well   you   like 
Life's   burdens   all   to   shirk. 

"Below   the   wrath   of   common   men; 

Too   cheap   for  ours   by  half, 
We'll    not   oppose   your   plannings,   but 

Explode   them   with   a  laugh  !" 

The   wit   that   beamed   in    Crispin's   eyes, 

Put    all   in   merry   mood, 
As   rang   around   the   galleries 

A   soul-refreshing   "  Good  !" 

The   gavel   man   forgot   to   rap, 
Reporters    dropped    their   notes-, 

And  when  some  one  "the  question  "  called, 
The   measure   had   twelve   votes  ! 


140  REMINISCENCES. 

And  that's  the  way  the  party  died, 
By  this  sarcastic  Crane ; 

And  hence  the  reason  he  was  sent 
To  General  Court  again. 

And   still   again   was   Crane   returned, 

Until   six  times   in  all ; 
Nor  by  the   lures   of  lobby  men 

Did   he   from   honor   fall. 

Yet   Crane   does    not   love   politics ; 

And,   now,    in   private  life, 
He   glories   in   his   leathern  art, 

His   children   and   his   wife  ! 


Let  not  the   bards   to   whom   belong 
High   themes    and   lofty   verse 

Despise,   as   all   unworthy    song, 
The   lives   these   lines   rehearse. 


REMINISCENCES.  141 


Though  each   lived   in   obscurity, 
Yet   each   was   still   a   man ; 

As   good   on   earth  we   seldom   see, 
And   better  never   can ! 


Though   Smithville   was   so   blest  of  heaven, 

To   it   one   tedious   thorn   was   given, 

A  full   "perfected"    man   of  sin, 

Most   surely  who   the   purse   could   win, 

Did   he»  and    Satan   run   a   race 

On    any   course    away   from   grace ! 

Supremely   mean   in   all   his   deeds, 

His  heart   as   hard    as   flint ;  the   needs 

Caused   by  his   extortions    moved   him   not ; 

The   pining   poor   were    all   forgot. 

Selfish,   of   marble   face,    and   stern  ; 

Full   quick  to   sin,   and   apt   to   learn 

The   ways   of   avarice    and   wrong ; 

On   primal   sin   improving   long, 

He   chose   oppression  for  his   art, 

And   practiced   it  with   all   his   heart; 


142  REMINISCENCES. 

His   sinning   cloaked  with   graciousness, 
And   cursed   when   he   appeared   to   bless ! 
He   so   gifted   in   causing  tears 
Had   fitting  name — Abijah   Beers. 
May   God  protect  if  here,   again, 
So   bad   a  man   'mong    living   men ! 
And  there   was   not,   since   earth   began, 
So   much  of  meanness  in   a   man. 
To   find  fit  place   for  him   to   dwell, 
The   liberals   declared  for  hell ! 
He   died   at  last   as   fools    do   die; 
Thistles   thrive   where   his   ashes  liel 


WHAT  IS  SAID. 


OPINIONS  OF  HENRY  W.  LONGFELLOW,  DR.  J.  G.  HOLLAND,  WILL 
CARLETON,  JOHN  G.  WHITTIER  AND  OTHER  POETS,  PRESIDENT 
HOPKINS,  PRESIDENT  L.  CLARK  SEELYE  AND  OTHER  EDUCA 
TORS,  JAMES  A.  GARFIELD  AND  OTHER  SCHOLARS,  BISHOP 
SIMPSON  AND  OTHER  EMINENT  DIVINES,  CHARLES  DUDLEY 
WARNER,  AND  THE  PRESS. 

Mr.  Greene  has  always  a  song  in  his  heart  and  a  pleasant  word  for 
every  body  he  meets.  Poems  in  this  volume  which  have  won  words 
of  warm  commendation  from  some  of  the  acknowledged  best  authors 
of  the  day,  take  their  sentiment  and  coloring  from  his  blameless  and 
busy  life.  The  beautiful  blending  of  the  soul  and  song  of  the  writer 
is  seen  in  this  extract  from  one  of  his  poems  : 

Live  in  the  sunshine  while  you  live, 
To  all  the  sad  your  sunshine  give, 
Live  in  the  sunshine  while  you  live. 

— Berkshire  Courier. 

Mr.  Greene  stands,  since  Dr.  Holland's  death,  without  a  peer  as 
delineator  of  New  England  life  and  scenery. 

— Berkshire  County  (Mass.)  Eagle. 

Mr.  Greene  never  makes  a  mistake  in  the  rhythm  or  music  of  his 
verse.  "  Bright  on  your  native  hills"  is  hearty,  breezy  and  sweet. 

— Dr.  J.  G.  Holland. 

May  the  muse  of  this  poet  of  our  valley  long  continue  to  sing. 

—Greenfield  (Mass.)  Gazette. 


WHAT   IS    SAID. 

Mr.  Greene  has  the  poetic  soul  and  uncommon  talent  for  graceful 
and  vigorous  verse. 

— North  Adams  Transcript. 

It  is  well  that,  in  an  imitative  age,  when  every  singer  has  more  or 
less  of  the  mocking  bird,  Mr.  Greene  has  held  fast  to  his  own 
arrangement  of  metres  and  tropes.  He  has  a  real  poetic  vein. 

— Springfield  (Mass.)  Republican. 

The  friends  of  Mr.  Aella  Greene  of  Springfield,  Mass.,  rejoice  with 
him  in  the  well  merited  encomiums  which  crown  his  muse  with  the 
fadeless  wreath.  Two  of  his  happiest  productions  are  characterized 
by  Whittier  as  possessing  "  a  true  feeling  of  poetry  and  much 
rhythmical  felicity."  The  chair  of  literature  in  a  Scotch  university 
contributes  to  his  crown  of  rejoicing,  and,  mingling  with  these 
tenderly  treasured  encomiums,  are  the  congratulations  of  governors, 
statesmen  and  divines,  who  refer  to  them,  in  so  many  words,  as 
"above  all  price." 

—  The  Household. 

It  is  pleasant  to  know  that  Longfellow  received  with  much  cor 
diality  the  poet,  Mr.  Aella  Greene,  and  awarded  to  some  of  his  later 
poems  a  very  hearty  meed  of  praise.  In  reading  one  of  them,  Mr. 
Longfellow  said,  "That  begins  well  I"  then,  as  he  progressed, 
"  That  is  fine  !"  His  final  remark,  uttered  with  an  earnestness  that 
betokened  his  sincerity,  was,  "That  is  a  good  poem?"  "And  that 
is  good,  too,"  was  his  equally  hearty  comment  on  another.  What 
is  particularly  noteworthy,  Mr.  Longfellow  expressed  his  pleasure  in 
writing,  and  over  his  own  signature — "  something,"  as  he  told  Mr. 
Greene,  "  that  I  rarely  do,  even  for  my  personal  friends."  Mr.  Greene 
treasures  the  great  poet's  name,  as  well  he  may  ;  and  it  is  in  "  goodlie 
companie,"  Whittier,  Garfield,  Mark  Hopkins,  Bishop  Simpson,  and 
others  equally  eminent,  having  likewise  given  words  of  the  most 
cordial  appreciation  of  Mr.  Greene's  poems. 

— New  England  Homestead. 


WHAT    IS    SAID. 


Mr.  Greene's  transcripts  of  country  life  in  New  England  are  even 
photographically  correct. 

— Albany  (N.  Y.)  Evening  Times. 

Among  the  many  commendations  for  Mr.  Greene's  poems,  the  fol 
lowing  from  Will  Carleton  will  have  great  weight :  "There  is  in  Mr. 
Greene's  poems  a  peculiar  sweetness  of  versification,  a  quiet  and  rest 
ful  philosophy,  and  a  sweet  progressive  spirit  pervading  and 
symmetrizing  each  effort." 

— Spencer  (Mass.)  Sun. 

Mr.  Greene  has  a  mind  which  peculiarly  combines  the  practical  and 
ideal  in  life.  His  poems  have  been  commended  by  the  most  dis 
tinguished  literary  men  in  the  country,  including  Longfellow, 
Whittier  and  Will  Carlton. 

—fallows  Falls  (  Vt.)  Times. 

We  are  glad  to  know  that  Mr.  Greene  of  Springfield,  Mass.,  has 
not  dismissed  his  muse.  His  poems  drive  away  melancholy  and 
make  the  heart  better.  Several  of  them  have  received  high  compli 
ments  from  such  judges  as  Longfellow,  Whittier,  J.  G.  Holland  and 
Will  Carleton. 

—  Vermont  Union. 

Mr.  Greene's  poems  have  received  many  happy  words  of  commen 
dation  from  authors  and  critics  whose  praise  is  honor. 

— Holyoke  Transcript. 

"  Bright  on  your  native  hills"  has  the  fragrance  and  the  rich  beauty 
of  the  New  England  landscape  and  rivulets  of  which  it  tells. 

Windham  Couniy  (  Vt.)  Reformer. 

The  poems  disclose  refinement  and  poetic  gifts  which  must  make 
the  volume  a  source  of  delight  to  the  reader. 

—  The  South. 

More  and  more  the  true  poetic  intuition. 

—  Vermont  Pt.cenix. 


WHAT    IS    SAID. 


"  Mr.  Greene  knows  how  to  dispense  with  superfluity,  and  his 
poems,  severely  simple  and  strictly  true  in  thought  and  utterance, 
show  genius  and  care,  and  breathe  upon  us  the  pure  atmosphere  of 
industrious,  cultivated  New  England." 

— St.  Albans  (  Vt.)  Messenger. 

"  Mr.  Greene  has  a  correct  ear  for  rhythm,  a  hearty  love  for  poetic 
truth ;  and,  what  is  best  of  all  in  these  days  of  unfaith,  a  sweet 
religious  belief  underlies  and  unifies  all  he  writes." 

—New  Jersey  Coast  Pilot. 

Poetic  gems. 

— Clinton  (Mass.)  Courant. 

Prof.  J.  W.  Patterson  of  New  Hampshire,  the  best  literary  critic  in 
the  Granite  State,  refers  to  Mr.  Greene's  rhythmic  work  as  "real  poetry 
in  thought  and  expression ;"  and  concerning  it  that  scholar  statesman, 
the  illustrious  JAMES  A.  GARFIELD,  before  he  ascended  "  Where  the 
Noble  have  their  Country,"  made  his  estimate  as  "  sweet"  and 
"bright,"  giving  the  author  permission  to  send  these  facts  to  the 
world  coupled  with  the  Garfield  name. 

"  Bright  on  your  native  hills"  is  an  inspiration  heaven-born  and 
heaven-sent. 

—Rev.  y.  H.  Williams,  of  Ohio. 

I  welcome  Mr.  Greene's  poems,  as  I  do  the  rays  of  the  sun,  for 
their  wholesome  sweetness  and  cheer. 

— Rev.  J.  F.  Gleason,  of  Connecticut. 

There  is  that  in  Mr.  Greene's  poems  which  commands  the  respect 
cf  every  reader. 

— Rev.  Dr.  C.  If.  Parkhurst,  of  New  York. 

Revealing  uncommon  poetic  inspiration  and  expressing  the 
genuine  sympathy  of  the  man  with  what  is  noble. 

—President  L.  Clark  Seelye. 


WHAT   IS   SAID. 

True  poetic  conception  and  poetic  expression  of  a  high  order. 

— Rev.  Dr.  A.  C.  Osborn. 

His  stanzas  sing  in  the  memory. 

— Rev.  George  E.  Martin. 

Mr.  Greene  has  a  decided  poetical  gift. 

— Charles  Dudley  Warner. 

I  congratulate  Mr.  Greene  on  receiving,  from  Mr.  Whittier  and 
others,  commendations  that  are  above  all  price. 

—Ex-Gcv.  William  Clafiin. 

In  Mr.  Greene's  poems  soul  speaks  to  soul  with  music  in  its  speech. 

—Judge  William  P.  Strickland. 

"  Bright  on  your  native  hills,"  "  Come,  Happy  Bird,"  and  "  Where 
the  Noble  have  their  Country,"  won  my  warm  approval  before  they 
received  that  of  the  great  bards  whose  verdict  is  indisputable.  One 
may  rest  content  when  Longfellow,  Whittier,  and  Holland  approve, 
but  I  am  glad  to  say,  Amen.  May  Mr.  Greene's  next  poem  come 
soon,  and  may  his  last  be  long  deferred  1 

—Judge  W.  S.  Shurtle/. 


Concerning  Mr.  Greene's  previous  venture  in  verse  "  Rhymes 
of  Yankee  Land,"  a  book  noting  persons  and  incidents  in  the 
valley  threaded  by  the  Connecticut  River  road  and  bright  with 
the  shining  waters  of  the  "  sweetest  stream  that  flows,"  a  vol 
ume  issued  in  1872,  there  were  many  praiseful  words  from 
press  and  people ;  and  the  book  ran  through  several  editions, 
and  became  known  far  beyond  the  New  England  section  of 
America,  whose  homes  and  hills  furnished  the  originals  of  the 
characters  and  scenes.  The  Providence  Journal  found  the  work 
"unique,  original  and  truthful,"  the  Battle  Creek  (Mich.)  Jour 
nal  noted  "  a  rare  rhythmical  beauty "  in  the  poems,  the  Berk 
shire  County  Eagle  found  "merit  of  high  order"  and  the  Spring 
field  Republican,  St.  Albans  (Vt.)  Messenger,  and  thirty  other 
journals  spoke  in  the  same  strain. 


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